Preview: A closer look at the Third Round of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers

MUNICH (Germany) - The final four spots in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers field are up for grabs as 12 teams get ready to battle in the Third Round of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers.

The 12 countries arrived in this final stage having competed in the previous rounds of the Pre-Qualifiers - eight teams who failed to advance from the Second Round and four who were eliminated in the First Round. The teams were split into four groups of three after being seeded based on the FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by Nike.

The games will be played from July 19 to August 5 in round robin format, with the top team in each of the four groups set to continue the road to FIBA EuroBasket 2025 in the Qualifiers.

Group G

0/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Croatia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Luxembourg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Wednesday, July 19
Croatia v Ireland  - 20:00 CET

Saturday, July 22
Croatia v Luxembourg  - 20:00 CET

Wednesday, July 26
Luxembourg v Ireland   - 20:15 CET

Saturday, July 29
Ireland v Croatia  - 15:30 CET

Wednesday, August 2
Luxembourg v Croatia  - 20:15 CET

Saturday, August 5
Ireland v Luxembourg  - 20:30 CET

Group G features the biggest name left in the Pre-Qualifiers in Croatia, who have never missed a FIBA EuroBasket since the country became independent. The Balkan side finished second behind Poland in the Second Round and were forced to take one more step before reaching the EuroBasket Qualifiers. Croatia will be the overwhelming favorites to advance, but the team must also remain humble enough to take the task at hand seriously and avoid later difficulties and extra hurdles in qualifying for future events.

Ireland were bounced from the First Round after one getting two wins over FIBA EuroBasket 2025 co-hosts Cyprus. The Irish played close with Switzerland for about 25 minutes in both games. But they face a tough road if they want to stay alive for their first trip to the EuroBasket.

Luxembourg have played at three EuroBaskets but the last appearance came in 1955. Luxembourg were also eliminated in the First Round with a 1-3 record, beating Albania at home. Two of their defeats were close, losing by three points both at Albania and at home versus Romania.

Group H

0/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Kosovo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Wednesday July 19
Kosovo v Switzerland - 20:45 CET

Saturday July 22
Switzerland v Denmark  - 17:30 CET

Wednesday July 26
Denmark v Kosovo - 18:00 CET

Saturday July 29
Switzerland v Kosovo  - 17:30 CET

Wednesday August 2
Denmark v Switzerland - 18:00 CET

Saturday August 5
Kosovo v Denmark - 20:45 CET

Group H has two countries - Denmark and Switzerland - who would love to take the next step in their development and reach the EuroBasket Qualifiers and give their emerging talent a chance to play against better competition.

Denmark have perhaps the biggest name in the Third Round with superstar Iffe Lundberg committed to the team. The Danes won their First Round group with a 3-1 record - albeit including a road loss to Third Round opponents Kosovo. They stumbled in the Second Round to a 1-5 mark, registering only a home victory over Norway. Denmark have played at three EuroBaskets, but the last appearance came in 1955. 

Switzerland also look back to the 1955 EuroBasket for the last time they reached the continental showcase. The Swiss took second place in their First Round group with a 4-2 record behind Austria - the two losses coming in Austria and Cyprus. Switzerland were unfortunate to have Poland and Croatia in their Second Round group and only picked up two wins over Austria for a 2-4 mark. 

Kosovo have never played at a EuroBasket and were eliminated in the First Round of the Pre-Qualifiers. The Balkan team had a 1-3 record, highlighted by a home win over Denmark. They also lost by only three points at home to Norway.

Group I

0/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Albania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Romania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Slovakia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Wednesday July 19
Albania v Romania - 20:30 CET

Saturday July 22
Romania v Slovakia  - 18:00 CET

Wednesday July 26
Slovakia v Albania - 18:00 CET

Saturday July 29
Romania v Albania  - 17:30 CET

Wednesday August 2
Slovakia v Romania - 18:00 CET

Saturday August 5
Albania v Slovakia - 20:30 CET

Group I has one of the co-hosts of the 2017 EuroBasket - Romania, whose previous appearance on the global stage before that came in 1987. Romania were a perfect 4-0 in their First Round group - including two wins over Group I opponents Albania - but  could not get the job done in the Second Round losing all four games to Portugal and Bulgaria to offset their two wins over Cyprus.

Albania have played twice at EuroBasket, but the last one was back in 1957. They failed to get out of the First Round of the Pre-Qualifiers with a 1-3 recorded - beating only Luxembourg at home by three points.

Slovakia are still hoping to get an opportunity for their first EuroBasket appearance. They finished second behind North Macedonia in the Second Round with a 4- 2 record. Slovakia split their games with North Macedonia - and actually had the tie-breaker - but had lost at home to Norway in the first game to cost them first place. 

Group J

0/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Bulgaria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Austria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Wednesday July 19
Norway v Bulgaria - 19:00 CET

Saturday July 22
Bulgaria v Austria  - 17:00 CET

Wednesday July 26
Austria v Norway - 18:30 CET

Saturday July 29
Bulgaria v Norway  - 17:00 CET

Wednesday August 2
Austria v Bulgaria - 19:15 CET

Saturday August 5
Norway v Austria  - 18:00 CET

The team with the deepest tradition in Group J is Bulgaria, who have reached the EuroBasket 25 times and even took second place as hosts in 1957 and were third in 1961. They joined the Pre-Qualifiers in the Second Round and finished second behind Portugal - both teams with 5-1 records and Portugal winning the tiebreaker as they won by 10 points at home and Bulgaria could only register an eight-point win in the final game.

Austria have played at EuroBasket six times - the last time coming in 1977. The Alpine nation won their First Round group with a 5-1 record - only losing at Switzerland. But Austria lost all six games to Switzerland, Poland and Croatia in the Second Round.

Norway are still dreaming of their first EuroBasket appearance though it will be a major hurdle to reach the Qualifiers. Norway were eliminated in the First Round with 2-2 record as they beat Kosovo twice and lost both games to Denmark.  

FIBA