ABIDJAN (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers) - The last two spots available for African countries for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China will be determined next month in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.  

FIBA Africa's decision came on Monday after original hosts Senegal earlier this month pulled out of its hosting rights for logistics and administration reasons.

From February 22-24, Cote d'Ivoire will host in their largest city of Abidjan the second leg of Group F, which includes Mali, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Senegal and Nigeria.

With the decision, Abidjan becomes the eighth African city - after Maputo, Dakar, Luanda, Lagos, Tunis, Cairo and Yaounde - to play as hosts of the 16-nation African Qualifiers.

Window 6 marks the first time Cote d'Ivoire host a major FIBA tournament since the  AfroBasket 2013, which served as a qualifier for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 in Spain.

Next month's qualifiers closes a FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 qualifying campaign which began in November 2017, and, so far, it has seen Nigeria, Tunisia and Angola claim the first three tickets for Africa for the 32-nation China 2019 showdown.

The six-nation tournament will take place at Palais des Sports de Treichville, and for the Ivorian Basketball Federation President Mathieu Agui-Miezan hosting the six-nation tournament will increase their chances of reaching their first World Cup since 2010.

The official noted: "Staff and players are ready to do battle for our qualification. We are aware that it won't be easy but playing on home court is a great opportunity for us."

Agui-Miezan is adamant that the "Elephants" have what it takes to qualify for the China 2019 showdown. 

"We are taking all necessary means  to make Window 6 a success," he concluded. 

FIBA