ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - A thorough look at what comes next for Groups E and F reveals significant changes, substantial additions and high motivation among the twelve teams.
Some players who recently signed new contracts have hinted at the possibility of participating in their teams' next three games in Tunisia and Senegal.
The second round of the 2027 World Cup African qualifiers will take place in Rades, Tunisia, and Dakar, Senegal, from 27 to 30 August.
Some teams are mired in uncertainty, which has affected their positioning in the rankings.
Here are our conclusions about Volume 7 of the African Qualifiers:
12. DR Congo ↔️
Record: 2-4
Heading to the second round with the lowest winning record (2–4) among the twelve teams is concerning enough, but the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have made matters worse by parting ways with head coach Michel Perrin. Taking on three highly motivated teams — Angola, Egypt and Mali — who are eager to keep their World Cup aspirations alive, is a paramount challenge for the Congolese team.
11. Cape Verde ↔️
Record: 3-3
The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde are widely known for their resilience and ability to rise to the occasion in difficult situations. However, their form seems to be deteriorating after they finished 2-1 in the first round of Group A, eventually winning just one of their three games in the second round. With Nigeria, Tunisia and Guinea all on 4–2, this could be their toughest assignment yet in this campaign, especially if their rim protector Edy Tavares remains out of the qualifiers.
10. Guinea ⬇️4️⃣
Record: 4-2
When Coach Nedeljko Asceric announced his resignation in the locker room after Guinea's loss to Tunisia last month, his players fell into a deafening and painful silence. Guinea, one of the hottest teams in the African qualifiers, had just lost their second game, casting doubt over their World Cup aspirations. Guinea then signed American coach Corey Frazier, who had gained international basketball experience as part of the coaching staff of USA youth teams.
9. Egypt ⬆️1️⃣
Record: 3-3
Beating Angola away from home was the most obvious sign of Egypt's progress in the campaign. If the Pharaohs can maintain the tenacity and cohesion they displayed in Luanda, where they won two out of three games, their next opponents — Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and the DR Congo — will need to prepare rigorously to face Egypt's momentum.
8. South Sudan ⬇️1️⃣
Record: 4-2
This World Cup qualifying campaign has been anything but easy for the Bright Stars of South Sudan, mainly because they were beaten twice by their tormentors, Cameroon. In the run-up to the second round of qualifiers, South Sudan are nowhere near the team that qualified for the 2023 World Cup with an impressive 11–1 record. Unless they bring their best players, their campaign could be a bumpy ride, especially given the calibre of their next opponents: Nigeria, Tunisia and Guinea.
7. Tunisia ⬆️2️⃣
Record: 4-2
Steadily but surely, Tunisia continue to prove the doubters wrong. Even with a roster of veterans and a few rising stars, the three-time African champions have a record of 4-2, with three major games coming up in front of their home fans. Taking on familiar opponents South Sudan, Cape Verde and Cameroon will either consolidate their position in the campaign or jeopardise their future.
6. Angola ⬇️1️⃣
Record: 4-2
The reigning African champions are heading to Dakar well aware that they must perform much better than they did at home last month, when they won two out of three games. Their next opponents are: Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo and Senegal. Recent history against these continental heavyweights has not been kind to Angola, who have lost four out of five games against Senegal since 2015, lost two out of two against Côte d'Ivoire since 2021, and won two out of three against DR Congo since 2017. If rumours about the absence of Bruno Fernando, a key physical presence in the paint, are confirmed, the Angolans will struggle to contain Senegal's towering inside players.
5. Côte d'Ivoire ⬇️2️⃣
Record: 5-1
Côte d'Ivoire has been one of the most consistent teams in these qualifiers. They have averaged tournament highs of 94.8 points and 44.8% field-goal accuracy, while averaging the fewest turnovers (13.3) among the twelve teams. But will these admirable stats help them overcome Angola, Egypt and Mali? Coach Ángel Hoyo Ramos will need all his tactical expertise to keep the Ivorians in the running for their third consecutive World Cup appearance.
4. Cameroon ↔️
Record: 5-1
What more could Cameroonians ask for? They are on a five-game winning streak and might benefit from the return of NBA stars Yves Missi and Christian Koloko. Their chances of reaching the World Cup for the first time have never been higher. If they succeed against Nigeria, Tunisia, and Guinea, Yaoundé can prepare the firecrackers.
3. Nigeria ⬆️5️⃣
Record: 4-2
It's impressive that a team with a shaky start to the qualifiers is returning to Tunisia with an encouraging 4-2, thanks to their 3-0 win-loss record in Luanda last month. Nigeria is back! Can they replicate their success at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès arena, where they won their first and only AfroBasket title in 2015? Only time will tell, but it's a fact that Coach David Fizdale made significant changes to the roster, adding players with experience at the highest level of basketball worldwide. This Nigerian team seems to be on par with their Group E opponents: Cameroon, Tunisia, and Guinea.
2. Senegal ⬇️1️⃣
Record: 5-1
No team in the current campaign has dominated the paint more than Senegal. The team averages tournament highs of 52 rebounds and 7.8 blocks per game. Senegal won five out of six games at the Marius Ndiaye Gymnasium in Dakar. With the team's current momentum, playing the next three games at the larger, more modern Dakar Arena is encouraging for a team chasing its first World Cup ticket since 2019. Although Angola, Egypt, and Mali are tough opponents, the Senegalese have every asset they need to pass their upcoming test.
1. Mali ⬆️1️⃣
Record: 5-1
Mali's current squad, or at least half of it, has come a long way together under coach Alhadji Dicko, once a dominant force at the youth level. The team has grown tremendously in the last twelve months, and it wouldn't be surprising if they left Dakar undefeated after three games against the host team, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Oumar Ballo has been so impressive recently that Turkish giant Galatasaray signed him. Nevertheless, he is expected to be part of the Malian roster in Dakar.
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.
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