Preview: Which teams will advance to the Second Round of the Pre-Qualifiers?

MUNICH (Germany) - The final window of the First Round of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers takes place this week with plenty to be decided across four days of action.

10 teams compete for six available spots in the Second Round as they will be joined by the six teams that are eliminated from the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers.

The three group winners as well as the top two runners-up and FIBA EuroBasket 2025 co-hosts Cyprus will advance to the next stage, while the four remaining teams will be directed to the Third Round for one last shot at making the Qualifiers.

Here's a look through the situation in each group:

Group A

8/12 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Switzerland	4	3	1	75.0	293	256	37	73.2	64	7
2	Austria	4	3	1	75.0	324	291	33	81	72.8	7
3	Ireland	4	2	2	50.0	306	328	-22	76.5	82	6
4	Cyprus	4	0	4	0	268	316	-48	67	79	4

Thursday, June 30
Austria v Ireland - 20:20 CET
Cyprus v Switzerland - 20:00 CET

Sunday, July 3
Austria v Cyprus - 18:00 CET
Ireland v Switzerland - 18:15 CET

Switzerland hold pole position in the race for the top spot in Group A, but Austria are waiting in the wings of any slip-up as they look to apply pressure with their final two games taking place at home in Salzburg having included the returning Jakob Poeltl in their squad.

Ireland can still have a major say in the outcome of the group in the final window, and while their fate is in their hands, they have a big challenge in taking on both of the top two. Despite not being able to make it into the top two, Cyprus are guaranteed to advance to the Second Round having already received a place at FIBA EuroBasket 2025 as one of the four hosts.

Group B

4/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Romania	2	2	0	100	174	154	20	87	77	4
2	Luxembourg	3	1	2	33.3	245	240	5	81.7	80	4
3	Albania	3	1	2	33.3	251	276	-25	83.7	92	4

Thursday, June 30
Romania v Luxembourg - 18:00 CET

Sunday, July 3
Albania v Romania - 20:30 CET

Romania just need a win in either of their final two games to lock up top spot in Group B. They have two wins to their name so far having edged out Luxembourg on the road back in November, before a more convincing 17-point success at home to Albania in February and they have a familiar core to their squad as they look to finish the job.

With the runners-up in each of the other two groups guaranteed to have at least two wins to their name, it puts both Albania and Luxembourg in must-win territory for the final window. Clancy Rugg is averaging 23.3 points per game for Luxembourg so far and headlines their squad for their game in Romania.

Group C

4/6 games played

		GAMES				GAME POINTS					POINTS
#	Team	P	W	L	%	For	Agt	+/-	FA	AA
1	Norway	3	2	1	66.7	249	253	-4	83	84.3	5
2	Kosovo	3	1	2	33.3	247	254	-7	82.3	84.7	4
3	Denmark	2	1	1	50.0	157	146	11	78.5	73	3

Thursday, June 30
Denmark v Kosovo - 19:00 CET

Sunday, July 3
Norway v Denmark - 18:00 CET

The most wide-open group of the three. If Denmark defeat Kosovo on Gameday 5, then the matchup between Norway and Denmark on Sunday becomes a straight shootout to decide who advances as winners of Group C. If Kosovo win, they keep their own hopes alive and open up the possibility of a three-way tie, which could still see two of the three teams advance.

The experienced Adama Darboe is back amongst the Danish squad for their final two games, while Norway have leading scorer Harald Frey in their squad that contains a mix of youth and experience. 

FIBA