CAIRO (Egypt) - Excitement is building for this year's Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA), which is set to begin on Friday 5 December in Cairo, Egypt. Last year's silver medallists, Al Ahly Sporting Club, will be hosting the event. The twelve teams have to play preliminary matches in groups before making it to the knockout stages, where the top eight battle for the title.
Last year's winners Ferroviaro de Maputo headline the field, seeking a fourth continental title, having previously won in 2018, 2019 and 2024. As the teams head to Cairo, all eyes are on what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament, showcasing the talent, determination and development of women’s basketball across the continent.
Hosts Al-Ahly SC automatically qualified for the competition as Egyptian Cup champions. They beat Alexandria Sporting Club, the 2023 continental winners, in the national final when the competition was known as the Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL).
Once again, they will be seeking to reach the WBLA final, and prove that they are worthy contenders, seeking to walk in their counterparts' shoes and win it at home.
It, however, will be no walk in the park as the 2025 Zone Qualifiers have revealed a higher level of recruitment, setting the stage for fierce competition. Sporting Clube Luanda of Angola, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), and First Bank of Nigeria make a return to the premier women's club showpiece, while Malawi's Bravehearts make their debut, coming in as the underdogs.
2025 WBLA - Participating teams:
- Al Alhy SC (EGY – hots) - Sporting Clube Luanda (ANG) - C.N.S.S (COD) - F.A.P (CMR) - K.P.A (KEN) - Ferroviario Maputo (MOZ) - REG BBC (RWA) - A.P.R (RWA) - AS Ville de Dakar (SEN) - FirstBank (NGR) - Friend’s Basketball Association (CIV) - Bravehearts BBC (MLW)
FIBA