MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers will see 16 teams battle it out for eight spots.
Specifically, within Groups C (Iran, Jordan, Syria, Iraq) and D (Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar), who will start strong in the First Round, and who might falter?
Qatar having already assured their place as hosts, the pressure is firmly on the remaining sides to establish themselves early in what promises to be a bruising yet breathtaking opening window of games.
Here’s our preview.
Group C
Iran, Jordan, Syria, Iraq
Team | FIBA World Ranking for Men, presented by NIKE |
Iran | 26th |
Jordan | 38th |
Syria | 74th |
Iraq | 89th |
Right off the bat, what makes Group C unique is that it is the first time across three World Cup Qualifiers that four Middle Eastern teams are all pitted against each other in the same group of the First Round.
The Favorite: Iran. Having qualified to the last four consecutive World Cups, dating back to 2010, Team Melli will be confident of booking their berth in 2027, too. Asia's traditional powerhouse will be especially buoyed by having clinched a third-place in this year’s Continental Cup, a shot in the arm for a young team that had previously finished among the medals only in 2017.
Key Matchup: Iran vs Iraq. While the odds are stacked heavily in Iran’s favour, Iraq has proved to be an unlikely kryptonite for the perennial Asian powerhouse.
Almost exactly eight years ago, during the World Cup 2019 Qualifiers, the Iraqis registered a 74-66 upset for the ages, condemning Team Melli to their only loss of that First Round. Now facing off yet again on the same stage - if Iraq can force Iran to relive the ghosts of the past, we could have two very nerve-wracking games on our hands.
The Underdog: Iraq. Ranked 89 in the world, a good 15 spots below the next closest Group C team Syria, Iraq faces an uphill battle to make it to the Second Round for the first time in history.
The Star: Sina Vahedi (Iran) - The current Iran roster includes veteran names like Arsalan Kazemi and Behnam Yakhchali. But in Asia Cup 2025, it was 24-year-old point guard Vahedi who led all Team Melli scorers and even made it to the All-Star Five.
Young Gun: Abdullah Olajuwon (Jordan) – The middle son of the great Hakeem Olajuwon, Abdullah, the 21-year-old 195 cm / 6'4" guard will be keen to improve on his 9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game figures from the Asia Cup.
Group D
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar
Nation | FIBA World Ranking for Men, presented by NIKE |
Lebanon | 30th |
Saudi Arabia | 64th |
India | 76th |
Qatar | 83rd |
The favorite: Lebanon. The Cedars are gunning for their second straight World Cup appearance, and fifth overall, which is far ahead of any of their Group D opponents. Saudi Arabia and India have never qualified for the World Cup, while Qatar have done so only once, back in 2006.
Key matchup: Lebanon vs Qatar. The last time these two sides faced off was in the Group Phase of the 2025 Asia Cup. The final scoreline read 84-80 in favor of Lebanon. With Qatar steadily ramping up its preparations as hosts of the 2027 World Cup, expect two more intensely fought games on November 27 and December 1.
The underdog: India. The side has never won a World Cup Qualifiers game, going 0-6 and 0-10 in the 2019 and 2023 Qualifiers.
The star: Mohammad Alsuwailem (Saudi Arabia). The 208 cm / 6'9" center was arguably the best player not to make it to the Asia Cup 2025 All-Star Five. The 27-year-old led the field in rebounds, blocks and overall efficiency.
Young guns: Youssef Khayat / Jihad El Khatib (Lebanon). While 22-year-old Khayat is already a bona fide star for the Cedars, Jihad has a surname that will sound very familiar. Yes, the elder son of Lebanese legend Fadi El Khatib is all set to make his senior team debut.
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