MUNICH (Germany) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers Second Round is now starting, with 24 teams battling for the 12 tickets to Qatar.
The Second Round starts in August, followed by another couple of windows in November 2026 and February/March 2027.
We will be monitoring each country's progress in our Power Rankings before and after each window.
#1 Türkiye (=)
Record: 6-0 Schedule in August: vs. Lithuania, @ Iceland
Imagine having a talent pool so endlessly deep, that even without Alperen Sengun and Tarik Biberovic, you still are #1 here based on the initial roster.
You already know the names of Malachi Flynn, Adem Bona, Sehmus Hazer, Furkan Korkmaz, Cedi Osman, Ercan Osmani, Sertac Sanli, Kenan Sipahi, Omer Yurtseven and others, but you're about to learn a couple of new names.
No need to check the calendar, we'll tell you two 2009-born prospects are on the list, called Darius Karutasu and Omer Kutluay. Imagine being 17 and getting a call alongside all those names a scroll or two above...
#2 France (=)
Record: 5-1 Schedule in August: vs. Slovenia, @ Sweden
We do English to English translations around here. So we can tell you that "I miss FIBA Basketball" actually stands for "you should be very, very scared" coming out of Wemby's mouth.
#3 Serbia (=)
Record: 4-2 Schedule in August: vs. Iceland, @ Italy
Since we're running out of things to say about the ridiculously loaded Serbian lineup, let's talk about the possibility of sending out an all-Nikola team.
It's realistic, hear us out.
Nikola Jokic, Nikola Jovic and Nikola Milutinov are the ones we're used to, and Nikola Tanaskovic was one of the best players of the First Round here. Nikola Djurisic is a high-flying guard born in 2004, but he's not the youngest Nikola, nor the biggest Nikola prospect on the list, since 2006-born Nikola Dzepina and 2009-born Nikola Kusturica are also on the list.
Yes. 2009. Not a typo.
#4 Poland (=)
Record: 6-0 Schedule in August: @ Israel, vs. Germany
Get this, a pair of wins in this window, and Poland could be through to the World Cup already in August! They need a few other things to go their way, meaning Latvia and Netherlands not going 2-0 in this window, so it's... Probable? Possible? Plausible? Polandable?
Anyway. Both Jerrick Harding and Jordan Loyd are on the initial list. Meaning, 40-50 points guaranteed in two games, no matter which one of them gets the final call.
#5 Germany (=)
Record: 5-1 Schedule in August: vs. Netherlands, @ Poland
Is it even possible for the reigning FIBA EuroBasket and FIBA Basketball World Cup winners to get stronger? What's that? It totally is? Okay.
It actually makes sense, because the 2025 NBA champ Isaiah Hartenstein is set to make his return to the lineup in August. The last time he played was back in February 2018, but he's thinking about February 2038, saying "I want to help the next generation and push German basketball so that when my son hopefully starts playing someday, the sport will be even bigger."
Guess that's commitment for you.
I've always wanted to play and give something back. I'm very happy to be back.
#6 Croatia (+1)
Record: 5-1 Schedule in August: vs. Latvia, @ Netherlands
All eyes on Mario Hezonja1 as the MVP of the First Round returns to the NBA, signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers and saying he's going back to where he belongs.
He picked up the first MVP of the FBWCEQFR2 award after pouring in 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game, guiding Croatia to a strong 5-1 start, just inches away now from their first World Cup appearance in 13 years.
1Okay, maybe not all eyes on him, because you need an eye on Dario Saric, Ivica Zubac and Karlo Matkovic, too. Yep, Croatia looking loaded after a looooong time, yep.
2FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers First Round
#7 Spain (-1)
Record: 5-1 Schedule in August: vs. Portugal, @ Greece
Probably unfair to put Spain a spot behind, but it's mostly because of the fact that Croatia have that guy who was the MVP of the Spanish League, right? Right...
Anyway, we always say that it doesn't really matter who suits up for Spain, they always end up making the major events and fighting for the medals, but this time around, it kinda matters who is on the list.
Because we haven't seen such a star-studded lineup in a long time.
#8 Italy (=)
Record: 5-1 Schedule in August: @ BIH, vs. Serbia
In a way, this is a perfect combination of opponents for Italy. They have to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Jusuf Nurkic and the Dragons will be a perfect sparring partner to prepare coach Luca Banchi and his guys for Nikola Jokic and the Eagles.
Simone Fontecchio is back, can't wait to watch his incredible shooting mechanics, you know, when he holds the ball with just three fingers and kinda flips it with the other two on release to give it that endless spinning motion.
Damian Lillard does the same thing, it's perfectly made for the super slo-mo cameras. Let us make a few calls to focus on it in August.
#9 Finland (+2)
Record: 4-2 Schedule in August: vs. Sweden, @ Estonia
Among the 17 players invited to the camp, only three of them are older than 30: Ilari Seppala (33), Alex Madsen (31) and Sasu Salin (let's use the "it's not polite to talk about somebody's age" clause here).
They are playing the Northern European Olympics in this window, and when you got a guy named Lauri Markkanen on the roster, you're the ones supposed to go 2-0 here.
That's why we promoted you by a couple of spots in the Power Rankings.
#10 Ukraine (+2)
Record: 4-2 Schedule in August: vs. Greece, @ Montenegro
Offense shouldn't be a problem for Ukraine, with Oleksandr Kovliar and Svi Mykhaliuk already lighting up the Qualifiers, but this time around they've also got Alex Len on board. He hasn't been a part of the national team since August 2022, meaning they should be considered an improved team in this window.
Improved? While already at 4-2? Yeah, Ukraine aren't playing around, they could be off to Qatar next summer!
#11 Greece (+2)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Ukraine, vs. Spain
You get two spots up just because you have a guy named Nick Calathes back in the lineup for the first time since the 2024 Olympics.
#12 Lithuania (-3)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Türkiye, vs. BIH
The roster doesn't look as intriguing as the one in the last window, and the schedule isn't all that fun for Lithuania, either, because they have to travel to Türkiye and take on the BIH giants.
So when you combine (1) a tough trip to Türkiye, with (2) a physically strong opponent in BIH, and (3) a Valanciunas-less, Buzelis-less, Jakucionis-less roster, you get three, and that's why we bumped them down by three spots in the Power Rankings.
(It's okay, we'll re-bump them back up if/when they go 2-0 in this window.)
#13 Montenegro (-3)
Record: 4-2 Schedule in August: @ Georgia, vs. Ukraine
That road game in Georgia is probably the biggest game of the Qualifiers for Montenegro. A win there, wow, 5-2, so much daylight between the two teams, then a home game against Ukraine could send these guys to 6-2.
Alright, that's glass half full.
Let's skip the glass half empty part where they can find themselves bottom of the group if they lose both games oh no what have we done we actually talked about the glass half empty part oh no what a mistake gonna google how to delete a paragraph from the Power Rankings.
#14 Portugal (+1)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Spain, vs. Georgia
If the roster announcement had nothing on but the words "Neemias Queta," you'd still go +1 in the Power Rankings.
Because look at these highlights, dude.
#15 Latvia (-1)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Croatia, vs. Israel
Latvia can't afford to go 0-2 in this window, since the top three teams in the group are at least two games ahead.
Plenty of reason to be excited about their future, though, as they claimed the FIBA U16 EuroBasket title thanks to one of the most dominant performances of the competition, ever, as Benjamin Berrouet broke the mark set by Ricky Rubio in 2006.
No, really, he broke Ricky's record.
#16 Georgia (+2)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: vs. Montenegro, @ Portugal
Georgia were already a fun team with Tornike Shengelia, and now they have Goga Bitadze and Sandro Mamukelashvili back, so they go plus one for both of the stars back in the lineup.
The travel from Georgia to Portugal will be a tough one, the longest of the Qualifiers in Europe, but hey, don't forget how troubling the matchup with Montenegro could be in Tbilisi. They are actually 0-2 at home against Montenegro, losing to them in 2016 and 2022.
#17 Iceland (-1)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Serbia, vs. Türkiye
Can't tell you a lot about their lineup, as it hasn't been announced yet. But we can tell you that this upcoming schedule is a nightmare, probably the toughest among the 24 teams still in the competition.
Oh, if you're enjoying a hot summer, here's one for you, Türkiye: It's currently 12-14 degrees in Reykjavik. Just a warning to warm up, Iceland will punish you if you're ice cold there.
#18 Sweden (-1)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Finland, vs. France
Minus one for another tough schedule. Not really as tough as Iceland's, but not that far from it. Anyway, even if they go 0-2 in this window, they could still be in the hunt for the World Cup, since everybody not named France or Finland is at 3-3 in their group.
But if four teams are at 3-3, it means defeating France and/or Finland would be considered as bonus points in the battle for the top three spots. Pelle Larsson is on the list, Melwin Pantzar is on the list, Ludde Hakanson and Simon Birgander can't spend a moment without each other, so they are on the list, too.
In fact... This looks like their strongest lineup since FIBA EuroBasket 2025, when they went toe to toe with Türkiye in the Round of 16.
#19 Hungary (=)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: vs. Estonia, @ Slovenia
Read the Sweden part again. Now, flip it all the way around, because Hungary can't afford to go 0-2 now, against Estonia and Slovenia, because that would mean Hungary are on the back foot in the chase for the top three spots in the group.
#20 Slovenia (=)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ France, vs. Hungary
Think you had a nice summer? Well, it wasn't as nice as Stefan Joksimovic's, since he was voted the Rising Star of the First Round, and then went on to win the FIBA U18 EuroBasket, also picking up MVP of the tournament honors there.
Superstar Stefan's Slovenian Summer sure sounds splendid.
No better test of his potential -- and their potential as a young team -- than facing Victor Wembanyama and France on the road now. A win could stardust them into the Top 10 here after the window.
#21 Estonia (=)
Record: 3-3 Schedule in August: @ Hungary, vs. Finland
The usual suspects are all back in the lineup, with Kristian Kullamae and Maik-Kalev Kotsar leading the troops to Miskolc, Hungary, and then facing Finland three days later.
They are yet to make the World Cup. A pair of wins in this window could bring them a whole lot closer to the summit, and a famous first World Cup appearance would fit in perfectly with their long term plans, since they are hosting the FIBA EuroBasket 2029.
#22 Israel (=)
Record: 2-4 Schedule in August: vs. Poland, @ Latvia
No Deni Avdija, so trying to get a win or two against Poland and Latvia seems like a mountain to climb. Yam Madar was their leader the last time around, he moved from Hapoel to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the meantime, so expect him to be at an all-time high level, confidence-wise at least.
Yep. We're saying that a guy who averaged nearly 25 points and 5 assists per game in the First Round is even more confident than a month and a half ago. Confident Yam is must-watch TV.
#23 Bosnia and Herzegovina (=)
Record: 2-4 Schedule in August: vs. Italy, @ Lithuania
It's not fair that we put them all the way down in 23, because the big three of Jusuf Nurkic, Luka Garza and Kenan Kamenjas are probably the most physical bigs lineup we've ever seen in the Qualifiers.
One important side note - they will be playing against Italy in Tuzla, their happy place, where they beat Switzerland in the First Round, and where 5,000 fans make so much noise it feels like 50,000 of them are there.
#24 Netherlands (=)
Record: 2-4 Schedule in August: @ Germany, vs. Croatia
Another candidate for the Nightmare of a Schedule award in this window, the Netherlands have to travel to take on the EuroBasket and World Cup champs, before playing host to Croatia's stars.
But coach Johan Roijakkers loves that challenge, saying his team will improve more by challenging these two teams than by beating somebody by 30 in the Pre-Qualifiers. Makes sense!
Fun Fact: They won their last road game in Germany (75-71, 2016), and have a home win against Croatia from that period, too (68-61, 2017).
Note: The Power Rankings are entirely subjective and in no way a true, accurate ranking system. All comments are purely those of the author.