2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers Window 6: Preview, full schedules and how to watch live
Window 6 of the 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers will run 20-28 February 2023. Here’s what you need to know as the last spots for the Paris 2024 qualifier are won.
Basketball
The sixth and final window of 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers has arrived and will run from 20-28 February 2023.
Over the course of 14 months, 80 teams from across five regions have been battling it out for the chance to compete at this year’s World Cup taking place 25 August - 10 September jointly hosted by Japan, Indonesia and Philippines.
The first phase saw 32 countries eliminated for the race leaving just 48 teams in the running for the second.
Over the course of Windows 4 and 5 countries began claiming spots at this year’s showpiece event, which will also be doubling up as a qualifier for Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Seven spots in total will be allocated for the Games at the end of the tournament for the best-placed teams from the respective regions. They will be divided as follows:
- Two for the Americas
- Two for Europe
- One for Africa
- One for Asia
- One for Oceania
Now, at the beginning of Window 6 just 15 spots for the World Cup remain, meaning everything is to play for when the action gets underway later this week.
The countries that successfully made it through the second round were drawn to make up groups of six teams. For the regions of Asia (including Oceania), Africa and the Americans, there are two six-team groups. For Europe there are four.
Over the course of the last two Windows the teams in each group have been playing each other in home-and-away fixtures. Window 6 will host the last of fixtures.
For the European region, the top three teams from each group after all games played will proceed to the World Cup, meaning a total of 12 countries will represent the continent on the world stage.
For Africa, the top two teams from each group at the conclusion of the Window plus the best third-placed team will secure their ticket, while for the Americas it will be the top three teams from each group in addition to the best fourth-placed team.
As the hosts of the World Cup’s ‘finals phase’, the Philippines have already qualified as have Japan who qualified as host by virtue of its ranking. This means they already occupy two of the eight available spots for teams coming from Asia and Oceania.
Third co-host Indonesia will not compete in the tournament after failing to improve their ranking in time.
In most cases, the results from the first round have been carried through to the second across the qualifiers to ensure equal importance of every match played throughout the entire process.
Teams that have qualified for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023
- Japan (qualified as co-host)
- Philippines (qualified as co-host)
- Australia
- Canada
- People's Republic of China
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lithuania
- New Zealand
- Slovenia
- Spain
2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: Europe preview
Just three tickets remain for the European nations on the final approach to the World Cup and there are eight countries still in with a chance of claiming them for their own: Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Hungary, Ukraine, Belgium and Georgia.
Of that list, Serbia and Montenegro need just one win to ensure their place in the World Cup.
With so much riding on the next two games countries are turning out their best rosters they can with those playing in the United States' top basketball league - the NBA - unable to compete with the season in full swing.
One player worth watching out when the action in Europe gets underway will be France's Victor Wembanyama.
Though the hosts of next year's Olympics have already booked their place at the World Cup in the previous Window, their work now begins preparing their squad for the challenge and 19-year-old Wembanyama is expecetd to be a key piece of the puzzle.
When he suited up for France in Window 5, Wembanyama averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Standing at 2.19m, the young French prospect is currently projected to go No.1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft with bags of promise attached to his name.
2023 Basketball World Cup qualifiers: Europe – Groups and schedule
After the conclusion of the first round, 24 teams were divided into four groups of six:
Group I
- Greece*
- Latvia*
- Türkiye
- Belgium
- Serbia
- Great Britain
Group J
- Germany*
- Finland*
- Slovenia*
- Israel
- Sweden
- Estonia
**Group K **
- France*
- Lithuania*
- Montenegro
- Czechia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Hungary
Group L
- Italy*
- Spain*
- Iceland
- Georgia
- Ukraine
- Netherlands
*Qualified for 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
Group I will play across two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Friday 24 February
- Greece v Serbia
- Great Britain v Belgium
- Türkiye v Latvia
**Monday 27 February **
- Latvia v Greece
- Serbia v Great Britain
- Belgium v Türkiye
Group J will play across two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
**Friday 24 February **
- Israel v Finland
- Estonia v Slovenia
- Germany v Sweden
Monday 27 February
- Slovenia v Israel
- Finland v Germany
- Sweden v Estonia
Group K will play across two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Thursday 23 February
- Czechia v France
- Lithuania v Hungary
- Bosnia and Herzegovina v Montenegro
Sunday 26 February
- France v Lithuania
- Hungary v Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Montenegro v Czechia
Group L will play across two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Thursday 23 February
- Netherlands v Georgia
- Iceland v Spain
- Italy v Ukraine
Sunday 26 February
- Ukraine v Netherlands
- Spain v Italy
- Georgia v Iceland
2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: Asia and Oceania preview
Four teams from Asia and Oceania remain in fight for the last two World Cup spots: Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.
Of those four, two can clinch a berth on the first of the two game-days.
In Group E, should Jordan beat India or New Zealand defeat Saudi Arabia then Jordan will progress.
In Group F, should Iran defeat Japan, and People’s Republic of China defeat Kazakhstan then Iran will secure a spot in the World Cup.
If results don’t fall this way, then the door opens to both Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia meaning all four teams are back in the race.
Having stunned New Zealand in Window 5 Jordan are without a doubt in the strongest position to qualify.
In the 92-75 victory over a youthful Tall Blacks side, Dar Tucker put in an impressive showing supplying 31 points while big man Ahmad Al Dwairi capitalised on his presence to notch 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Both men are available as part of the Jordanian roster for Window 6 and will be looked upon to produce a similar level of performance when they go against India and World Cup co-hosts Philippines this week.
2023 Basketball World Cup qualifiers: Asia and Oceania – Groups and schedule
After the conclusion of the first round, 12 teams were divided into two groups of six:
Group E
- New Zealand*
- Lebanon*
- Philippines*
- Jordan
- Saudi Arabia
- India
Group F
- Australia*
- Japan*
- People's Republic of China*
- Kazakhstan
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Bahrain
*Qualified for 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
Group E will play in two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
**Friday 24 February **
- Philippines v Lebanon
- India v Jordan
- New Zealand v Saudi Arabia
Monday 27 February
- India v Saudi Arabia
- Philippines v Jordan
- New Zealand v Lebanon
Group F will play in two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Thursday 23 February
- Japan v Islamic Republic of Iran
- Australia v Bahrain
- People’s Republic of China v Kazakhstan
Saturday 26 February
- People’s Republic of China v Islamic Republic of Iran
- Japan v Bahrain
- Australia v Kazakhstan
2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: Africa stars to watch
For the nations of Africa still in the hunt, just four tickets are left for August’s FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Cape Verde - with four wins in seven games - stand to make history should they qualify.
Recognising the magntitude of the opportunity the archipelago has assembled its strongest team for the last remaining Window including successfully calling Jeff Xavier out of retirement.
The 37-year-old stepped away from international basketball after helping Cape Verde in the first qualification games back in November 2021 where he recorded 12.7 points per game.
After regretting not suiting up for his country in August, Xavier is on a personal mission to get his country to the World Cup.
Also set to make history are South Sudan who stand to become the newest African country to qualify for their first ever-World Cup on their first attempt should they win one of their final three games.
Standing in their way will be heavyweights Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo and then Egypt.
2023 Basketball World Cup qualifiers: Africa – Groups and schedule
After the conclusion of the first round, 12 teams were divided into two groups of six:
Group E
- Cote d'Ivoire*
- Angola
- Cape Verde
- Nigeria
- Guinea
- Uganda
Group F
- South Sudan
- Egypt
- Senegal
- Tunisia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Cameroon
*Qualified for 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
Group E will play in three game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Friday 24 February
- Nigeria v Cote d’Ivoire
- Cape Verde v Guinea
- Uganda v Angola
Saturday 25 February
- Guinea v Nigeria
- Cote d’Ivoire v Uganda
- Angola v Cape Verde
Sunday 26 February
- Uganda v Guinea
- Cape Verde v Cote d’Ivoire
- Nigeria v Angola
Group E will play in three game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Friday 24 February
- Cameroon v Democratic Republic of the Congo
- South Sudan v Senegal
- Tunisia v Egypt
Saturday 25 February
- Democratic Republic of the Congo v South Sudan
- Senegal v Tunisia
- Egypt v Cameroon
Sunday 26 February
- Tunisia v Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Cameroon v Senegal
- South Sudan v Egypt
2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: Americas preview
Six tickets for the FIBA Basketball World Cup are still up for grabs for teams in the Americas region with eight contenders still eligible.
So far, Canada is the only team to have already secured their place in this year’s tournament and they did so in impressive fashion.
To date, the Canadians are unbeaten in the Qualifiers, and should they win their last two remaining games they will make history as the first team to make it to the World Cup from the region undefeated.
For the others, such feats are the stuff of dreams. Their priority is clinching one of the last few tickets and there is plenty of talent around to get the job done.
The United States (8-2) need just one more win to guarantee their place at the World Cup. They will face Uruguay first before travelling to Brazil for the last qualifying game.
Among the new faces Team USA are drawing on to get them over the line is 25-year-old Jay Huff. Currently playing for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League (the NBA’s official minor league), 2.17m-tall Huff is on track to break the single-season blocked shots record right now averaging 3.5 blocks per game.
Another player to watch out for will be Argentina’s Facundo Campazzo.
Returning to the national side after having missed Window 5, point guard Campazzo will be a welcomed edition to the Argentine roster as they seek World Cup qualification.
Currently sitting in second place in Group E with seven wins and three losses alongside Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, Argentina will need to bring their best if they want to finish the group as one of the top three teams.
As well as being a silver medallist with Argentina at the last edition of the World Cup in 2019, Campazzo also brings NBA experience, having played for both the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks.
2023 Basketball World Cup qualifiers: Americas – Groups and schedule
After the conclusion of the first round, 12 teams have been divided into two groups of six:
Group E
- Canada*
- Venezuela
- Argentina
- Dominican Republic
- Panama
- Bahamas
Group F
- Brazil
- United States of AMerica
- Uruguay
- Mexico
- Puerto Rico
- Colombia
*Qualified for 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
Group E will play in two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Thursday 23 February
- Venezuela v Bahamas
- Panama v Dominican Republic
- Argentina v Canada
Sunday 26 February
- Panama v Bahamas
- Venezuela v Canada
- Argentina v Dominican Republic
Group F will play in two game-days, which are scheduled to take place as follows:
Thursday 23 February
- Colombia v Mexico
- Brazil v Puerto Rico
- Uruguay v USA
Sunday 26 February
- Colombia v Puerto Rico
- Uruguay v Mexico
- Brazil v USA
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers: How to watch live
All games from the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers are availble to stream on Courtside 1891.
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