MIES (Switzerland) - The journey to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 got underway this week, with the European Qualifiers continuing through eight exciting matchups on Sunday night.
The first batch of games was played on Thursday and Friday, with dramatic finishes happening all over the continent, with Lithuania and Estonia picking up incredible comeback wins, both on the road.
With every result carrying through to the Second Round, each game has the potential to make or break a nation's hopes of eventually reaching the World Cup.
Who do you think will continue their campaign with a win on Sunday? Or who will get off the mark? Cast your vote below and let us know!
Schedule
Who you got?
Did You Know?
Türkiye won 93-71 against BIH, but they never managed to win consecutive games during the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers; they have won eight of their nine games where they scored 80+ points in the Qualifiers.
Ignas Sargiunas (Lithuania) scored 27 points on Thursday against Great Britain, the most for a player while coming from the bench in his World Cup Qualifiers debut in Europe; he also had four steals, the second-most for a Lithuanian player in a World Cup Qualifiers game (Arnas Butkevicius, 5 vs. Poland in November 2017)
Elvar Fridriksson (Iceland) scored 25+ points in five games in the World Cup Qualifiers, the most among all players in Europe. He averaged 22.8 points at home in the competition.
With 31 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, Oleksandr Kovliar because the second player to register 30+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a World Cup Qualifiers game in Europe, after Luka Doncic (31pts, 10reb, 6ast vs. Sweden in July 2022).
Both Portugal and Greece made 13 shots from three-point range, the most among all European teams in Thursday's games.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have won six of their last seven home games in the World Cup Qualifiers.
Smart Fantasy League
Make sure you check out the newly-launched FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers Smart Fantasy League!
FIBA