MIES (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - The number of teams through to the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers continues to rise, with 6 more national sides clinching their places on Friday in Africa and Europe.

Tunisia, Cameroon and Nigeria became the first three from Africa to punch their tickets for the next phase of the Qualifiers. They were joined by the European trio of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic and Russia to take the overall total of  known teams through to the Second Round to 42.

This means 18 more spots remain to be determined to complete the field of 60 teams that will make up the Second Round of Qualifiers.

These teams join Hungary, Korea, Latvia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Virgin Islands as the ones to have guaranteed spots for the next round in the current June-July window.

Back in February, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Serbia, Spain, Venezuela, Uruguay and USA  were the first to clinch places in the Second Round of the Qualifiers for China 2019.

Here is how things stand:

Africa
Group A: Tunisia and Cameroon are through to the Second Round.
Group B:  Nigeria are through to the Second Round.

Asia
Group A: New Zealand, China and Korea through to Second Round; Hong Kong eliminated.
Group B: Australia and Philippines through to Second Round; they will be joined by the winner of the game Chinese Taipei v Japan on Monday.
Group C: Jordan, Lebanon and Syria through to Second Round; India eliminated.
Group D: Iran and Kazakhstan through to Second Round; they will be joined by the winner of the game Iraq v Qatar on Monday.

Americas
Group A:  Panama through to the Second Round; Paraguay eliminated.
Group C:  Puerto Rico through to the Second Round; Cuba eliminated.
Group D: Virgin Islands through to the Second Round; Bahamas eliminated.

Europe
Group A: Spain, Slovenia and Montenegro through to Second Round; Belarus eliminated.
Group B: Turkey, Ukraine and Latvia through to Second Round; Sweden eliminated.
Group C: Lithuania, Hungary and Poland through to Second Round; Kosovo eliminated.
Group D: Italy and Netherlands through to Second Round; they will be joined by the winner of Sunday's game Romania v Croatia.
Group E: France, Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina through to Second Round; Belgium eliminated.
Group F: Czech Republic are the only team through to Second Round.
- Finland are through to the Second Round if they beat Iceland or if Czech Republic beat Bulgaria.
- Iceland are through to the Second Round if they beat Finland.
- Bulgaria are through to the Second Round if they beat Czech Republic or if Finland beat Iceland.
Group G: Germany and Serbia through to Second Round; Georgia advance if they beat Austria or lose by 14 points or less; Austria advance if they beat Georgia by at least 15 points.
Group H:  Greece are the only team to have already booked their place in the Second Round.
- If Estonia beat Greece, they are through to the Second Round; if they lose to Greece and Israel beat Great Britain, Estonia advance.
- If Israel beat Great Britain, they are through to the Second Round and Estonia will join them.
- In the case of Estonia beating Greece, Great Britain must win against Israel by 7 points to get through to the Second Round.
- In the case of Greece beating Estonia, Great Britain will get through to the Second Round if they beat Israel, thereby eliminating Estonia and seeing Israel join them; if Great Britain beat Israel by at least 22 points, then Israel will be eliminated and Estonia will progress.

Out of the 80 teams from across the globe taking part in the First Round of the Qualifiers, the top 60 advance to the Second Round, which will consist of three windows in September and November 2018 and February 2019.

The 31 best teams will join hosts China at the first-ever 32-team FIBA Basketball World Cup, taking place from August 31-September 15, 2019.

FIBA