Road to FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 begins as draw for Pre-Qualifying Tournaments completed

MIES (Switzerland) - The first step on the road to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 in Germany has been determined as the groups for the first-ever Pre-Qualifying Tournaments were confirmed in Thursday’s draw.

The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournaments will be held in Mexico and Rwanda between August 19 and 25, 2024.

The 16 teams were divided into four groups of four teams each.

The results of the draw are as follows:

Group A: Korea, Mali, Czechia, Venezuela
Group B: Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, Mozambique
Group C: Brazil, Hungary, Senegal, Philippines
Group D: Rwanda, Great Britain, Argentina, Lebanon

Groups A and B will play in Mexico City, Mexico, and C and D in Kigali, Rwanda.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Semi-Finals of each tournament. The two winners of each tournament will qualify for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in 2026.

The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments will involve 24 teams, with the winners of the Mexico and Rwanda Pre-Qualifying Tournaments and a further 22 teams determined by results in the FIBA Women's Continental Cups 2025.

The Pre-Qualifying Tournaments are an important part of the expansion of the women's competition system where the aim is to grant a larger number of National Federations meaningful and regular international competition.

A total of 16 nations, including hosts Germany, will punch their tickets through the Qualifying Tournaments in 2026 and compete at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026.

The draw was performed by Honorable Minister Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, Rwanda Sports Minister. FIBA President Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, and the FIBA Central Board attended the event.

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