African Basketball - Highlights to look out for in 2024

 

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - 2023 has entered the history books of African basketball as one that recorded countless surprising results, and the next twelve might not be any different.

As always, many African basketball events will be streamed live on FIBA's Youtube Channel with additional coverage across FIBA's social media platforms.  

There is so much to watch out for this year, including the 2024 Paris Olympics and the fourth edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Without further ado, FIBA.basketball brings you some African basketball highlights to look out for in 2024.

BAL Combine (January 5-7)

 

 

With the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season Four on the horizon, Moroccan city of Rabat will be home to the highly-anticipated BAL Combine, where players from all corners of the globe will showcase their talent and look to find potential employers' interest.

2025 FIBA AfroBasket Pre-Qualifiers (January 2024)

The race for a chance to enter the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers begins in January 2024 with teams that missed out the last edition of the quadrennial AfroBasket taking to the floor across several African cities. 

Antananarivo, Madagascar, will be the first city to host a pre-qualifier, gathering FIBA Africa Zone 7 countries. Other FIBA Africa Zones will follow.

The 2025 AfroBasket Pre-Qualifiers concludes right before the AfroBasket Qualifiers begin in February.

2025 FIBA AfroBasket Pre-Qualifiers and Qualifiers

The 20-team AfroBasket Qualifiers will take place over three qualifying windows in February and November 2024 and it will conclude in February 2025. 

16 out of 20 countries will qualify to the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket. 

Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (February)

Reigning African champions Nigeria and 2023 Women's AfroBasket runner-up Senegal will represent the continent at FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) in February.

Nigeria and Senegal were draw in the Antwerp WOQT against hosts Belgium and reigning Olympic champions USA.

CLICK HERE for more information about the WOQT.

Basketball Africa League (March, April, May and June 2024)

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) will celebrate its fourth anniversary in a remarkable fashion.

The 2024 BAL season will feature the top 12 club teams from 12 African countries playing a record 48 games across four African countries - South Africa, Egypt, Senegal and Rwanda - over four months, marking the first BAL games in South Africa and the first time the league will play in four different countries.  

FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (July)

Four African countries - Angola, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire and Egypt - will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in an attempt to join South Sudan at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

CLICK HERE to learn more about the OQT.

2024 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup (Boys/Girls)

U16 African champions Guinea and runners-up Egypt will represent the continent at the 2024 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Turkey (June 29 - July 7).

U16 African champions Mali and runners-up Egypt will represent Africa at the 2024 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup in Mexico (13-21 July). 

Olympic Games (July 27 - August 11)

So far, one African country - South Sudan - has qualified to the Paris Olympics with four other countries - Angola, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire and Egypt - hoping to join the Bright Stars.

Meanwhile one of the two African teams - Nigeria or Senegal - will qualify to the Women's Olympics tournament trough the WOQT.

FIBA U18 African Championships (Men/Women)

The biennial U18 African Championships (Men and Women) return this year. Schedule and host countries are yet to be confirmed. 

OTHER EVENTS

AWBL - The second edition of the Africa Women's Basketball League is expected to return in December 2024. 
Road to BAL  - The -pre-qualifying and qualifying rounds for the BAL Season 5 are expected to run between September and November 2024.
Basketball Without Borders - Host and Rosters are yet to be confirmed.

FIBA