FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers
Window 5 of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifications will take place from November 7 to November 15, 2022, and will include French wonder Victor Wembanyama and famous Filipino Kai Sotto. Here’s everything you need to know when the 80-team field is reduced to 32 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The nations who advanced to the second round were divided into groups of six teams at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. There are currently two six-team groups per continent for Asia (including Oceania), Africa, and the Americas. There are four for Europe.
Teams will continue to play everyone in their group, home and away, during the fifth window.
For the European area, the top three teams from each group after all games are completed will advance on the FIBA Basketball World Cup, resulting in a total of 12 nations representing the continent on the international stage.
The top two teams from each group at the end of Window 6 plus the best third-placed team will earn their ticket for Africa, while the top three teams from each group plus the best fourth-placed teams will win their trip for the Americas.
The Philippines, as hosts of the FIBA Basketball World Cup‘s “finals phase,” have already qualified, as is Japan, who qualified as host based on its rating. This implies they already have two of the seven open berths for Asian teams (and Oceania). Indonesia, the tournament’s third co-host, will not play after failing to raise their rating in time. With Lebanon and New Zealand officially guaranteed, there are just three spaces available for those from the two continents attempting to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup next year.
However, unlike the other continental groupings, the African area will not be participating in this timeframe.
The African teams last competed in a three-match competition in the fourth window in August at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which means they only need one more window to finish their qualifying process. They will do so in February 2023, along with the other areas.
In most cases, the results of the first round have been carried over to the second round of qualifiers to guarantee that every match played is given equal weight throughout the process.
Stars to watch in the European 2023 Baasketball World Cup qualifications
With several countries able to secure a spot in next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup odds, which will be co-hosted by Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the stakes are surely high coming into Window 5.
The recent commencement of the National Basketball Association (NBA) 2022/23 season, which means many nations will be missing their best players going into crucial games, adds fuel to the flames.
France, who will be missing the likes of Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier at EuroBasket 2022, will have to rely on the current hottest FIBA Basketball World Cup prospect in town: Victor Wembanyama.
The 18-year-old 7-foot-4 prodigy astonished the basketball world during a pre-season game between his team, Metropolitans 92, and the NBA G League Ignite. Everyone was talking about him after his performance, including LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant.
With the FIBA U19 FIBA Basketball World Cup coming up and the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 on the horizon, bringing in a player like Wembanyama now could be critical to Les Bleus’ future success at some of the sport’s biggest events, and all eyes will be on him to see what he can do against some tough international competition.
