DAKAR (Senegal) - African powers Nigeria, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and Angola already have a sense of where they stand on the road to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. The likes of FIBA AfroBasket 2021 champions Tunisia, Cameroon, Egypt and Senegal meanwhile only have one month to wait until they tip off their African Qualifiers campaign as the three days of action in Senegal get closer.

After watching from afar in the most recent FIBA window in November 2021, the eight teams in Groups B and D will finally get under way their quest to Indonesia, Japan and Philippines from February 25 to 27 in the Senegalese capital of Dakar.

The three-time African champs Tunisia headline Group B as the Eagles of Carthage hope to reach the FIBA World Cup for the third time in four attempts. The other three teams in the group - Cameroon, Rwanda and South Sudan - have never tasted the atmosphere at a World Cup.

The showdown between Tunisia and the new kids on the block in Africa, South Sudan - which will take place on February 26 - is the most anticipated showdown in Group B. The South Sudanese will be making their first appearance in a World Cup Qualifier after having played in their first FIBA AfroBasket last year and taking seventh place. The teams will know each other as Tunisia bounced South Sudan from the AfroBasket 2021 Quarter-Finals 80-65.

The AfroBasket 2021 hosts Rwanda will be out to show what they learned from the experience while Cameroon hope to translate an ever improving stall of talent into success, especially after leaving AfroBasket 2021 with three losses in three games.

Senegal will have their home fans behind them in the African Qualifiers

Group D is topped by the duo of window hosts Senegal and Egypt while Congo DR and Kenya begin the Qualifiers with the dream of finally making a FIBA World Cup for the first time. Senegal and Egypt start play in Group D against each other and that result could go a long way in deciding who has the inside track for first place in the group.

Senegal have played at the last two FIBA World Cups and four of the last six events while Egypt have six appearances on the global stage, last playing in 2014 after missing the big show in China in 2019. Senegal will be motivated after a third place finish at AfroBasket last year while Egypt slumped to just 11th place with a 1-3 record.

DR Congo beat Egypt (77-63) in Cairo in their second meeting for the FIBA Basketball 2019 African Qualifiers

The Pharaohs will however have a new man in charge as Canadian Roy Rana has been named as Egypt's new head coach. And the games in Dakar will be his first chance to see what he can do with his first endeavour outside of North America.

The top three of each of the four groups will advance to the Second Round of African Qualifiers and will be fighting for the five spots from Africa at the 32-nation World Cup in 2023.

FIBA