KIGALI (Rwanda) - There will be many 'first time' situations when Argentina, Great Britain, Lebanon and Rwanda meet up in Group D of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda.
The six-day event (August 19-25) is a totally new experience for all four teams chasing the only ticket available for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifiers 2026.
But what's at stake in Group D?
The Favorite: Great Britain
After a decent Women's EuroBasket 2023 campaign where Great Britain put up a fight against heavyweight Germany, France and Serbia, the consequential question is 'what's the limit for Great Britain?'.
The signing of former Spain international player Anna Montañana as head coach tells the story of a program trying to reach new heights.
Currently No. 21 in the FIBA World Rankings, Great Britain is the highest-ranked team in Group D above Argentina (31), Lebanon (51) and Rwanda (74).
In absence of WNBA stars Temi Fagbenle and Kristine Anigwe, EuroCup Women 2024 winner Holly Winterburn is expected to take up the team's leadership role.
The Underdog: Rwanda
They were underdogs at Women's AfroBasket 2023, but somehow, Rwanda came up with the game of their lives by beating neighbouring Uganda 66-61 in the quarterfinals to reach the last four of the competition for the first time in the country's basketball history.
Now with the world watching, Rwanda are trying to prove doubters wrong, and bringing in former WNBA Keisha Hampton and keep the core of the team that took the Women's AfroBasket by a storm last year is a clear sign of the team's ambition.
The Pivotal Game: Lebanon vs Great Britain
By the time Lebanon and Great Britain meet on Game-day 3, they will be fully immersed in the competition after facing Rwanda and Argentina, respectively. Seemingly the two strongest contenders in Group D, the winner of this clash will increase their chances of reaching the semifinals.
The Open Question: Can the home crowd make a difference for Rwanda?
Since its launching in 2018, the state-of-the-art BK Arena has become synonymous with celebration of African basketball, and local fans have been massively impactful.
Be it a Basketball Africa League game, AfroBasket or Women's AfroBasket, Rwandans have showed their love for the game. But can they make a difference for the heroes when the Pre-Qualifying gets underway from August 19-25.
More?
Don't forget to check the team rosters Profiles for: Argentina, Great Britain, Lebanon and Rwanda.
FIBA