ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - From 2-5 July, Dakar (Senegal), Douala (Cameroon) and Luanda (Angola) will be at the heart of African basketball, with all 16 national teams competing to advance to the second round of the tournament.
With the third window of the qualifiers just around the corner, FIBA.basketball has selected eleven must-watch games for followers to keep an eye on.
Tunisia vs. Nigeria
Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Thursday, 2 July 2026, 13:00 Local Time: 13:00 (GMT+1)
This has become one of the classic games in African basketball. It reached its peak during the 2015 AfroBasket, when Tunisia beat Nigeria in the Group Phase.
However, Nigeria went on to beat Angola in the Final, winning their only African Championship title on Tunisian soil.
The last time Tunisia and Nigeria faced off at the Kilamba Arena de Luanda during the 2025 AfroBasket, Nigeria secured an 87–66 victory.
Tunisia outperformed the D'Tigers with a 88–78 win in Rades last November during the first round of Group C of the 2027 World Cup African qualifiers. Since 2015, Tunisia has held a 3–1 head-to-head advantage over Nigeria.
Egypt vs. Mali
Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Thursday, 2 July 2026, 16:00 Local Time: 16:00 (GMT+1)
There were still doubts in the air after the rejuvenated young Malian team finished second at the 2025 AfroBasket.
However, Mali proved that their achievement wasn't a fluke when they shocked continental heavyweights Egypt in the second window of the World Cup Qualifiers in Alexandria.
A Mali win on the opening day would boost their chances of advancing to the second round, while Egypt will be looking to get their qualifying campaign back on track - a win over Mali would certainly boost the Pharaohs’ morale.
Cape Verde vs. Cameroon
Douala, Complexe multisports de Japoma Thursday, 2 July 2026, 18:00 Local Time: 18:00 (GMT+1)
This will be the third game between the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde, who have a 1–1 head-to-head record dating back to the 2015 AfroBasket.
When the two teams last faced off in Tunisia in November 2025, Cape Verde competed as if their lives depended on it, securing an 82-77 win.
However, Cameroon will be making their major debut in Douala and will be looking to improve their record to 3-1 and secure a place in the next round.
To illustrate the importance of this game further, it is worth noting that Cameroon and Cape Verde also have a 2–1 win–loss record in Group A.
Cote d’Ivoire vs. Senegal
Dakar, Stadium Marius Ndiaye Thursday, 2 July 2026, 19:00 Local Time: 18:00 (GMT0)
The Marius N’diaye Gymnasium was packed with thousands of fans for the first round of the Group B series.
However, the Ivorians stunned the historic venue by securing a 90-80 victory in February.
This result has impacted Senegal’s campaign, with the team currently ranking second in the group with a 2–1 record, while Côte d'Ivoire top the group with a perfect 3–0 record.
The Ivorians and the Senegalese have faced off four times since 2018, with the former holding a 3–1 head-to-head advantage. Can Cote d’Ivoire prevail again in Dakar?
Nigeria vs. Guinea
Luanda, Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Friday, 3 July 2026, 16:00 Local Time: 16:00 (GMT+1)
Before their last meeting in Rades, Tunisia, in November last year, Nigeria had never struggled to beat Guinea.
However, times have changed, and an undefeated Guinea outclassed Nigeria 69–55, marking a new chapter in Guinean basketball history.
It remains to be seen how Nigeria will respond to their 1–2 record from the first round of the qualifiers, especially given the appointment of their NBA-calibre head coach.
DR Congo vs. Cote d'Ivoire
Dakar, Stadium Marius Ndiaye Saturday, 4 July 2026, 16:00 Local Time: 15:00 (GMT0)
Although Côte d'Ivoire are heading into this game with a 2–1 head-to-head record dating back to the 2017 AfroBasket and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are ranked third in the group with a 1–2 record, they are one of the most unpredictable teams and cannot be ruled out.
Taking on the undefeated Ivorians may prove challenging for the Congolese, but with the players they are expected to bring to Dakar, it will be a tough battle.
Angola vs. Egypt
Luanda, Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Saturday, 4 July 2026, 19:00 Local Time: 19:00 (GMT+1)
In terms of history, Angola have the advantage, having never lost to Egypt in their nine previous meetings, dating back to the 1990 African Championship.
However, there isn’t much of a gulf between the two squads, both of which are coached by knowledgeable Catalan coaches.
Tunisia vs. Guinea
Luanda, Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Sunday, 5 July 2026, 13:00 Local Time: 13:00 (GMT+1)
For years, Tunisia had no regard for Guinea, but the Guineans caused one of the biggest upsets in the first round of the Africa World Cup Qualifiers by beating Tunisia 66-55 in front of their fans in Rades last November.
This not only enabled Guinea to improve to 3-0 - a winning streak they had never experienced before - but also dented Tunisia’s hopes of returning to their former glory now that they had rehired Coach Adel Tlatli, who had led his country to their first African title in 2011.
South Sudan vs. Cameroon
Douala, Complexe multisports de Japoma Sunday, 5 July 2026, 18:00 Local Time: 18:00 (GMT+1)
Cameroon’s 60–56 victory over South Sudan in the first round of Group A of the World Cup African qualifiers last November is recorded in the history books as the lowest-scoring game of the current campaign.
It was a hard-fought contest, with both teams playing physically and shooting from the field at 31% (Cameroon) and 28% (South Sudan), respectively.
Several household names in African basketball, including Jeremiah Hill and Nuni Omot, are expected to lead their teams in the Douala showdown.
DR Congo vs. Senegal
Dakar, Stadium Marius Ndiaye Sunday, 5 July 2026, 19:00 Local Time: 18:00 (GMT0)
Although Senegal beat the DR Congo by 19 points (76–59) in the first round, there are still vivid memories of the Congolese beating Senegal twice during the 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers, including once in Dakar.
The DR Congo currently have a 2–1 head-to-head advantage over Senegal, dating back to 2022.
Angola vs. Mali
Luanda, Pavilhao do Kilamba de Luanda Sunday, 5 July 2026, 19:00 Local Time: 19:00 (GMT+1)
Angola secured their 12th AfroBasket title with a dominant 70-43 victory over Mali in the 2025 AfroBasket final.
However, when the two teams met on neutral ground in Alexandria, Egypt six months later, Mali emerged victorious with a narrow one-point win (80-79), putting an end to Angola’s eight-game winning streak that had lasted since February 2025 during the AfroBasket qualifiers.
This is definitely a MUST-WATCH ENCOUNTER.
FIBA