MIAMI (United States) – With the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers first window in the books, it’s now time to check in on the balance of power across the region. Who took a step forward? Who fell short of expectations? Here’s how the rankings look after the opening two matchups:
1. BRA (-)
Record: 2-0 The reigning Americas champions left no room for surprises, asserting their superiority in both matchups against Chile, who were also missing some key pieces. Led by Georginho De Paula, Leo Meindl, Lucas Dias and Alexey Borges, Brazil also took the opportunity to give valuable minutes to several young players. Everything went according to plan for coach Aleksandar Petrovic.
2. USA (-)
Record: 2-0 As expected, the Americans steamrolled debutant Nicaragua with two wins by an average margin of 32.5 points. In fact, their 123 points in the second game set a new record for the highest scoring output in the history of the Americas Qualifiers. MarJon Beauchamp played in the NBA as recently as last season, performed at an exceptional level—strong enough that it could very well help him earn another opportunity in the league.
3. ARG (-)
Record: 2-0 After missing the last World Cup, Argentina needed a strong start in this new cycle—and that’s exactly what the team delivered by handling Cuba without major trouble. Coming off a solid AmeriCup run (silver medal), they entered as heavy favorites and lived up to it. The best part? Even with Facundo Campazzo and Gabriel Deck available, the team didn’t have to rely on them as heavily as in recent years. Gonzalo Corbalán and Juan Fernández continued their rise as emerging standouts, and Francisco Cáffaro also stepped up.
4. CAN (-)
Record: 2-0 Another favorite that met expectations. Canada swept the Bahamas, and although the second win came by a smaller margin, the team stayed in control throughout. The Canadians were a top team in the previous World Cup Qualifiers with just one loss in 12 games. They had strong performances from veterans like Kyle Wiltjer, Trae Bell-Haynes, Thomas Scrubb, and Aaron Best—all key contributors in the last campaign and still performing at a high level.
5. JAM (+11)
Record: 2-0 The biggest surprise of the window. Jamaica stunned Puerto Rico twice, and on Puerto Rican soil, despite being forced to play both games on the road because of the country’s hurricane-related disruptions. The additions of Kofi Cockburn, Tyran De Lattibeaudiere, Andrew Thelwell and Chase Audige completely transformed the team, which looked decisively better than Puerto Rico in both outings. Jamaica’s jump of +11 spots (they ranked last in the previous edition) is likely one of the biggest leaps we’ve ever recorded in the Americas.
6. URU (+2)
Record: 2-0 Uruguay made a statement with a dominant road win over Panama. That performance confirmed that their strong showings in the AmeriCup Qualifiers and the tournament itself were no fluke. The second game at home was more in line with expectations, much tighter, but they had the poise to seal it with Martín Rojas’ buzzer-beater. Uruguay looks like a potential revelation in these Qualifiers, and this strong start against a direct rival boosts the team’s chances.
7. DOM (-1)
Record: 1-1 This team’s matchup with Mexico was the closest duel of the window, and it’s no surprise that both came away with one win apiece. Curiously, each victory came on the road.
8. MEX (-1)
Record: 1-1 Mexico fought toe-to-toe with the Dominicans and responded well after dropping the opener at home. Both games were tight, and the reason they’re ranked below the Dominican Republic is their -6 point differential across the head-to-head series.
9. PUR (-4)
Record: 0-2 Puerto Rico ended up as the biggest disappointment of the first window, losing both home games to debutant Jamaica. They were the only presumed favorite that didn’t meet expectations. To be fair, the team lost Ethan Thompson at the last minute after he signed with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. They didn’t have big man Tai Odiase, and Arnaldo Toro missed the first game. Those absences clearly hurt, but given their history, talent and home-court advantage, Puerto Rico was expected to at least split the series.
10. COL (-)
Record: 1-0 Colombia protected its home court and defeated Venezuela for the second straight time in an official game. The team was only able to play once because the second game was postponed. With just one matchup, the sample size is small, but this much is clear: with the current core players (Braian Angola, Jaime Echenique, Andrés Ibargüen, Juan Tello, Hansel Atencia and others), Colombia can be a tough opponent.
11. VEN (-)
Record: 0-1 Venezuela lost a close one to Colombia, but under new head coach Francisco Segura, the team showed some positive signs. Some good news amid their rebuilding phase is that their young guard, Yeferson Guerra, impressed with 16 points, 5 assists and 3 steals.
12. PAN (-3)
Record: 0-2 Panama leaves the window frustrated. Despite bringing nearly a full roster (Iverson Molinar was a late scratch due to injury), they lost both games to Uruguay. They now must focus on beating Cuba, which is the most accessible team on paper in Group D to stay alive for the Second Round.
13. BAH (-1)
Record: 0-2 Expectations were low against Canada, but the team showed a far better version in the second game and has reasons to remain optimistic—they have talent. Still, Jamaica’s two shock wins leave the Bahamas with very little margin for error moving forward.
14. CHI (-)
Record: 0-2 Playing without Sebastián Herrera, Nicolás Carvacho and Manuel Suárez against Brazil made an uphill battle even steeper. Their true test will come in matchups against Colombia and Venezuela, where the pressure begins in Window 2.
15. CUB (-2)
Record: 0-2 The team’s chances against Argentina were limited, and nothing out of the ordinary happened. They had a shot with a more complete roster during the first game at home, but in the second game on the road, they were depleted without Karel Guzmán, Pedro Bombino and Reynaldo García. This led to a lopsided defeat.
16. NCA (-1)
Record: 0-2 Nicaragua debuted in the World Cup Qualifiers against the No. 1 team in the world: the United States. They suffered two heavy losses, but Norchad Omier continued to prove he’s one of the continent’s elite players. After a standout AmeriCup, he set a new Americas Qualifiers record with 20 rebounds in a single game. Jared Ruiz also delivered 36 points in the second game, tying the second-highest scoring mark in Americas Qualifiers history.
DISCLAIMER: Power Rankings are entirely subjective and in no way represent an official or accurate classification system. All comments reflect solely the opinion of the author.
FIBA