MIAMI (United States) – This upcoming weekend, from August 8 to 10, the Americas Pre-Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will take place to determine the final four spots available for the Americas Qualifiers on the road to the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.
Here’s everything you need to know before the opening tip-off:
Where will the games be played?
The tournament will be held simultaneously in Mexico and Chile. Mexico will host Group A at the ITSON Arena in Ciudad Obregón, while Chile will host Group B at the Antonio Azurmendi Coliseum in Valdivia.
Who’s playing?
Group A: Barbados Costa Rica Jamaica Mexico
Group B: Chile Cuba Ecuador El Salvador
What’s the competition format?
Each group will follow a round-robin format, and the top two teams from each group will claim the four available spots in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
The winner of the Mexico Group will be placed in Group A of the Americas Qualifiers. The runner-up goes to Group B.
The winner of the Chile Group will be assigned to Group C, and the runner-up to Group D.
When are the games being played?
You can find the full game schedule and tip-off times here.
Where and how can I watch the games?
All games will be streamed live on the FIBA YouTube Channel. Fans can also follow the action and highlights on FIBA’s other official platforms: Facebook, Instagram and X.
Who are the favorites?
Mexico: The most experienced team in the field. They are ranked 26th in the FIBA World Ranking presented by Nike, and 8th in the Americas. Led by head coach Omar Quintero, they’ll also have home-court advantage and key players like Pako Cruz, Gael Bonilla, Paul Stoll, and Karim López available.
Jamaica: The Caribbean squad returns to official competition for the first time since 2021, and will feature NBA player Norman Powell. His presence alone positions Jamaica as a strong contender for one of the two qualifying spots in Group A.
Chile: The hosts will benefit from playing at home. The team recently completed a preparation tour in Spain, so most of the roster will come into the tournament with solid game rhythm. While they didn’t qualify for the AmeriCup 2025, Chile showed real progress in recent years with wins over both Argentina and Venezuela during the Qualifiers.
Cuba: On a good day, Cuba can beat anyone. They proved it during the AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers with wins over none other than the United States and the Bahamas. The main concern for the Cuban squad is whether they’ll be able to field all of their top players, as they’ve faced such issues before. If not, even seemingly weaker opponents could pose problems.
Who are the players to watch?
Norman Powell (JAM): The Miami Heat wing will make his international debut and is undoubtedly the most accomplished player in the tournament. Last NBA season with the LA Clippers, he averaged a career-high 21.9 points and shot 42 percent from three. His offensive firepower gives Jamaica a major edge, particularly against teams like Barbados and Costa Rica.
Pako Cruz (MEX): The 35-year-old veteran continues to perform at a high level and will bring all his experience to help lead the Mexican squad. In the AmeriCup Qualifiers, he averaged 21.5 points and 4.5 assists over two games. He recently played in Turkey’s top league with Mersin BBGSK, where he averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 30.8 minutes per game, while shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range.
Felipe Haase (CHI): The cornerstone of Chile’s interior game. In four games during the AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers, he posted averages of 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds. Last season in the NBA G League with Mexico City Capitanes, he played 46 games and averaged 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Reynaldo García (CUB): In the AmeriCup Qualifiers, the shooting guard played a key role for his country on both ends of the floor. He appeared in every game and averaged 13.4 points and 3.4 steals per game, leading all players in that category. He recently played in Japan’s top league, where he averaged 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.9 steals over 58 games with the Saga Ballooners.
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