ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - Some people may say that some games are more important than others, but the truth is that every game has its own level of importance.
Abidjan will host 28 games from Friday, July 26, to Sunday, August 3, at the Palais des Sports in Treichville.
Since the winners of each group automatically move on to the quarterfinals, it's very important for all 12 teams to win on the first day to stay in the competition.
The group winners will have two days off (July 29 and 30) and will play again for the quarterfinals on July 31.
As has been the case in the last three editions of the tournament, the teams that finish second and third in their groups will face a classification for the quarterfinals, with the losing teams being eliminated. Nobody wants to go early.
Here are ten early games you won't want to miss at the 2025 Women's AfroBasket:
Cote d’Ivoire vs. Egypt (Saturday, July 26):
Since the 2013 tournament, Côte d'Ivoire has beaten Egypt four times in five meetings. However, the last two games in 2019 in Dakar were decided by a small margin. The home team really needs to win this game. They don't want to disappoint their fans on the opening night. Egypt, on the other hand, will want to show everyone what they're capable of.
Egypt vs. Angola (Sunday, July 27):
The Egypt vs. Angola games have never been the same since 2015, when Egypt surprised the defending champions in Yaounde, Cameroon. Since then, Angola and Egypt have each won one of their last two games against each other in 2019 and 2021. Angola is trying to become successful again, and Egypt wants to show that they are a strong competitor in Africa. This game could go either way.
Cameroon vs. South Sudan (Sunday, July 27):
By the time Women's AfroBasket debutant South Sudan take on Cameroon on Sunday, July 24, they will have faced title contender Mali 24 hours earlier. This will be another challenging game for the Bright Starlets, possibly the hardest one. South Sudan and Cameroon have a lot in common, and they are both strong competitors in this championship.
Uganda vs. Senegal (Monday, July 28):
Who doesn't remember one of the biggest upsets of the 2023 Women's AfroBasket when Uganda beat Senegal 85-83 on game day 2? It's been two years since that big win, and both teams have shown improvement since then. This year, Uganda surprised the host country, Egypt, in the Zone 5 qualifier, which earned them an automatic spot at Abidjan 2025. Meanwhile, Senegal improved from a 0-3 record in the 2024 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgium to a 4-1 record in the 2026 Women's Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament that took place in Kigali, Rwanda.
Nigeria vs. Mozambique (Monday, July 28):
At first glance, reigning champions Nigeria emerge as favourite, but, as they have shown over the years, Mozambique is a team that can’t be overlooked, especially with the return of Leia Dongue.
Angola vs. Cote d’Ivoire (Monday, July 28):
Angola and Côte d'Ivoire have played against each other four times since 2017, when the tournament was held in Mali. Côte d'Ivoire has won three times, and the largest margin of victory was 70–62. Angola won in the 2017 Group Phase. A two-time former African champions taking on a host Cote d'Ivoire trying to protect its homecourt couldn't be more enticing than that.
Four Classification Games for the quarterfinals (Wednesday, July 20):
This is THE DAY you won't want to miss! Eight teams will compete for four spots in the quarterfinals. This is a series in which teams at risk of elimination are given a "lifeline" to help them stay in the competition.
FIBA