Ahead of the final window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup African qualifiers later this month in Alexandria and Luanda, FIBA has confirmed the schedule for Window 6. The 18 games, which will determine the four teams that will join Ivory Coast as Africa’s representatives at the World Cup in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, are set for February 24‑26 in Alexandria (Egypt) and Luanda (Angola).
Last August, Ivory Coast became the first African team to qualify for the 32‑nation FIBA flagship event, which will, for the first time, be hosted by multiple countries. Of the 16 nations that began the African qualifiers in November 2021, 12 remain in contention, though some have a clearer path to the World Cup than others. Each team will play its last three games in as many days, making this window a do‑or‑die situation for Nigeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Egypt, Tunisia, Senegal and South Sudan. The teams that finish first and second in Groups E and F, plus the best third‑placed team, will secure the five spots allocated to Africa.
For the D’Tigers, the task is near impossible after a poor showing in Window 5. They recorded only one win in three games, losing 78‑66 to hosts Ivory Coast at the 3,500‑capacity Palais des Sports Treichville, which put their World Cup hopes in a tight corner. They rebounded with an 89‑70 victory over Guinea in their second game but were humbled 70‑67 by Angola in the final match of that series. In Window 6, they will open against Ivory Coast in Luanda on February 24, face Guinea at the Pavilhão Multiusos do Kilamba the next day, and conclude with a game against Angola at the same venue on February 26.
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