Seven games to watch in Window 1 of the Asia Cup Qualifiers

BEIRUT (Lebanon) - In Window 1 of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, there will be 24 games played across 4 gamedays from 22-26 February. That's a lot of basketball for the pleasure of your viewing.

Obviously, it would be best to watch all of the games to be on top of all the action. But if you can't be at the games and be in front of a screen for some reason, we can help you prioritize your watchlist.

Here are 7 games that we really don't want you to miss in Window 1 of the Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers!

Australia  vs Korea 

22 February 2024
18:30 (GMT +11)
Red Energy Arena, Bendigo (AUS)

It feels a bit poetic that the two-time defending Asia Cup champions will be the first to tip things off in the Qualifiers. It will be an exciting one in Bendigo as well, as they go up against a team like Korea, two-time winners of the Asia Cup.

Don't forget, though, that Australia did lose their first game of the previous Asia Cup Qualifiers to New Zealand and Korea are more than capable of scoring an upset down under.

Thailand  vs Indonesia  

22 February 2024
19:00 (GMT +7)
Nimibutr Stadium, Bangkok (THA)

On paper, this might not seem like a rivalry as Indonesia have won the past three games throughout the Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers and Qualifiers. In the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, it's been a bit closer with Indonesia winning 3 of their 5 encounters since 2017.

Records aside, the games between these two teams have been competitive and intense as there's usually a lot on the line riding the outcome. There's no reason to expect the atmosphere to be different this time around.

Thailand listed a strong preliminary lineup, while Indonesia have called up a talented pool of players for their training camp. The potential of this being a nailbiting decider for who gets to keep their Asia Cup 2025 qualification hopes alive in Thailand's first home game in 6 years makes it a must-watch.

Syria  vs Lebanon 

23 February 2024
18:00 (GMT +3)
Al Fayhaa Stadium, Damascus (SYR)

Get ready to be rocked.

We had a preview at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 last year, when Syria hosted the event - the first time in a long time FIBA basketball was held in the country. Now, we will get another taste of the intensity that Syrian basketball fans radiate in a game against Asia Cup 2022 Finalists, Lebanon.

It can (and will) get wild.

If you aren't convinced, try checking out the West Asia Super League (WASL) - West Asia home games for Syrian clubs Al-Ittihad Ahli and Al Wahda. The passion from the stands is contagious and addictive, which is why this is a game you do not want to miss.

Bahrain  vs UAE 

23 February 2024
19:00 (GMT +3)
Khalifa Sport City, Manama (BRN)

In the Asia Cup 2022 Pre-Qualifiers, Bahrain beat UAE twice with a narrow average margin of 4.5 points per game. If the ball bounced a different way in any of those games (or even in UAE's close loss to Saudi Arabia), we might instead be talking about how UAE are aiming for a return to the Asia Cup and Bahrain's attempt to get back to that stage.

But that's not how it happened and instead, it's UAE that's looking to get a win in their first Qualifiers game.

The two teams are proud nations competing in the Gulf and would like nothing more than a good start to this campaign with a win over their rivals. You can already see glimpses of that whenever clubs from these respective countries play against each other in WASL - Gulf.

Japan  vs China 

25 February 2024
14:00 (GMT +9)
Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo (JPN)

With a combined 52 Asia Cup appearances and 33 combined podium finishes, this is as big of a matchup as you can get in the Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. With Japan on the rise at the global stage and China transitioning into an era of exciting young talents, the first of two games in this series will be electric.

Expect Japan to come out of the gates with a high level of intensity. They've lost the last 16 of their games against China in FIBA Asia events, as recent as the previous World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers. However, after an inspiring performance at the World Cup, it is Japan that are headed to the Olympic Games later this year.

You'll want to set your alarms for this game.

Philippines  vs Chinese Taipei 

25 February 2024
19:30 (GMT +8)
Philsports Arena, Pasay (PHI)

This was one of the marquee Asia Cup matchups through the mid 2010s. In three straight Asia Cups from 2009 to 2013, the Philippines played against Chinese Taipei and won two of those clashes. More recently, the two teams played against each other in the World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers with Gilas winning both times.

The history between the two teams is just a bonus, however. The main intrigue of this matchup is simply that they play at an entertaining pace with an entertaining style, which makes for entertaining basketball.

Saudi Arabia  vs Jordan 

26 February 2024
19:30 (GMT +3)
King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah (KSA)

Could this be a rivalry on the rise?

Saudi Arabia dominated the series in the 1990s, winning all of their three encounters in the Asia Cup. Since then, it's all been victories for Jordan (including an early Asia Cup 2022 game).

Don't forget, however, that Saudi Arabia were able to steal a game from Jordan in the World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers - proving that they certainly are capable of taking it to the Asia Cup 2022 Semi-Finalists.

Like the previous cycle, the 24 Asia Cup Qualifiers teams are drawn into 6 groups of 4. Each team plays the other 3 teams on a home-and-away basis over 3 windows, with 2 games per window.

The top 2 teams from each group will qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, making a total of 12 teams.

The six 3rd-place teams from each group, meanwhile, qualify to play in a final qualifying tournament. The top 4 teams from this competition will take the remaining spots of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.

FIBA