ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - There was no shortage of surprising results, with a team rising to the occasion and breaking into the top 10 of our first Power Rankings. This left many wondering what else the race for the 2027 Qatar World Cup has to offer.
From 27 to 30 November, the Salle Ominisport de Radès was the centre of attention for African basketball, with eight teams competing to establish their positions in the tournament.
Ultimately, only one team remained undefeated, while two contenders returned home without winning a single one of their three games.
Here are the World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers Power Rankings after Window 1, which saw eight teams from Groups A and C take to the floor in November 2025.
#16 - Uganda (-)
There is currently little evidence of Uganda's attempts to rebuild and re-strategise following their 0-3 finish in the 2025 AfroBasket campaign.
Uganda will open their Group D campaign against Angola, Mali and Egypt.
Record: 0-0
CLICK HERE for our previous view of Uganda.
#15 - Madagascar (-)
There is hope that Madagascar will show up with new faces and ambition in Window 2, which would be an improvement on their performance at the 2025 AfroBasket, where they lost all three of their games. However, the question is whether they can cause an upset against better-equipped teams such as Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It seems unlikely.
CLICK HERE for our previous view of Madagascar.
Record: 0-0
#14 - Libya (-1)
Libya's head coach, Sam Vincent, insisted that their three losses in as many games were due to the absence of key players, such as Sofian Hamad and shooting guard Nasser Badrush, who suffered a foot injury in Rades, as well as the need to add an import player.
Libya showed signs of competitiveness, particularly in their 77-71 loss to Cameroon, but overall their defence was far too lax.
Record: 0-3
#13 - Rwanda (+1)
Rwanda may not get another chance to beat a top-ranked team. In Rades, they were just four seconds away from beating Nigeria. However, they squandered a three-point lead by committing an unforgivable foul, which allowed Nigeria to score three points and take the game into overtime, which Rwanda ultimately lost 75–69.
Despite their shortcomings in Window 1 of the qualifiers, Rwanda can be confident about the rest of the competition if David McCormack returns and players such as Ntore Habimana and William Robeyns commit to the team.
Record: 0-3
#12 - DR Congo (-)
This is a team with the potential to cause some upsets, but they are also known for being inconsistent.
Facing Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Madagascar in the group stage will be a real challenge for a team that performed well in the last AfroBasket qualifiers.
Record: 0-0
#11 - Nigeria (-2)
Nigeria won one game in overtime (against Rwanda), lost another (against Tunisia) and lost to Guinea for the first time in their history.
If Nigeria are to get their campaign back on track, they urgently need to re-strategise.
It's a disappointing turn of events for a team that represented the continent at the Olympics as recently as 2021. Nigeria struggled defensively and were well below their real offensive potential.
Record: 1-2
#10 - Tunisia (-)
Tunisia is currently in the midst of a transitional period, with Omar Abada, Oussama Marnaoui and Firas Lahiani among those leading the way.
Coach Adel Tlatli returned to the team after nine years, but he was the first to admit that they urgently needed an import player to strengthen their chances in the competition.
Tunisia beat Nigeria in overtime in their opening game,, but then suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Guinea. A win over Rwanda saw the three-time African champions finish with a score of 2–1.
Record: 2-1
#9 - Cape Verde (-)
Considering the team's limited preparation time and the addition of four young players, Cape Verde can be confident about their future, especially after beating Cameroon and Libya in Rades.
However, their defensive vulnerability was exposed when they lost by 30 points (109–79) against South Sudan, particularly given the absence of Edy Tavares, the shock blocker specialist.
Record: 2-1
#8 - Mali (-1)
It remains to be seen if Mali, who shocked many by finishing second at the 2025 AfroBasket, will return with the same core of players. If they do, this is a team to look out for and one that can't be overlooked.
Record: 0-0
#7 - Egypt (-1)
After comfortably winning all three games in the group phase of the 2025 AfroBasket, and following a three-day break before their quarter-final clash against Cameroon, which ended their campaign, Egypt left the impression that they could do better. However, taking on Angola, Mali and Uganda could be a huge challenge for the Pharaohs.
Record: 0-0
#6 - Côte d'Ivoire (-2)
The Ivorians may have dropped two places compared to our last ranking, but this is due to the incredible rise of Guinea, who stormed through the first games of the qualifiers.
Côte d'Ivoire remain among the top contenders in the African qualifiers.
However, it remains to be seen whether they can maintain their performance, as they failed to do so at the last African Championship, where they won all three group games but were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Mali.
Record: 0-0
#5 - South Sudan (-2)
South Sudan qualified for their first World Cup two years ago with an impressive record of 11 wins and 1 loss, but they will need to work much harder this time if they are to secure one of the five places available to African nations at the 2027 World Cup.
In Rades, South Sudan were tested numerous times, and their failure to beat Cameroon was a clear indication that they need to remain humble and cautious for the rest of the tournament.
Record: 2-1
#4 - Cameroon (+1)
With two consecutive victories, including one against South Sudan, Cameroon made a statement, establishing themselves as a team to watch in these qualifiers.
Cameroon's head coach, Alfred Aboya, humbly admitted that there is work to be done, but this Cameroonian team looked highly competitive and capable of reaching the top of the tournament.
Record: 2-1
#3 - Guinea (+9)
Guinea made huge progress by winning all three of their games in the November window of the World Cup African Qualifiers, despite having won only two of their 16 games in the last two editions.
Over the last nine months, they have defeated four of the top ten African teams, including Angola (66–65 in the AfroBasket qualifiers), South Sudan (88–80 in the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers), Nigeria (69–55) and Tunisia (79–66).
Guinea's campaign was made even more impressive by the fact that they played without two key players: NBA champion Mamadi Diakite and Euroleague star Alpha Diallo.
What more does Guinea need to be considered a legitimate contender for one of the five places at the 2027 Qatar World Cup?
Record: 2-1
#2 - Angola (-)
Angola is a team that should never be underestimated, as basketball is a religion in the southern African nation, where die-hard fans are accustomed to seeing their team compete against the best in the world.
The February qualifiers, in which they will face Mali in a rematch of the 2025 AfroBasket final and also play Egypt and Uganda, will be a test for the 12-time African champions.
Record: 0-0
#1 - Senegal (-)
With a talented pool of players eager to represent the country at the highest level, Senegal headed into the 2025 AfroBasket tournament as one of the favourites. Despite their third-place finish, the Lions remain a top contender for one of the five World Cup 2027 spots reserved for African teams.
Record: 0-0
DISCLAIMER: The Power Rankings are completely subjective and in no way represent an official or precise ranking system. All comments reflect the author’s opinions.
FIBA