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FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs)

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  • More men's teams than ever before now have an opportunity to realise their Olympic dreams as part of a new dynamic and exciting format which will see three Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) held around the globe in 2016.
     
    With the added advantage of giving more countries an opportunity to host prestigious FIBA events, 18 nations will compete across the three respective tournaments, with six teams going head-to-head at each of them. The winners of each of the three tournaments will all take the highly coveted last remaining tickets for the 2016 Rio Olympics.


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    This replaces the previous system which had a single 12-team Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

    Fifteen (15) teams that fell short of qualifying directly for Rio 2016 will have another shot at fulfilling their Olympic aspirations after securing places at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs):

    Africa: Angola, Tunisia, Senegal
    Americas: Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico
    Asia: Philippines, Iran, Japan
    Europe: France, Serbia, Greece, Italy, Czech Republic
    Oceania: New Zealand

    Along with these 15 teams, another three (3) will compete as hosts of the three OQTs to be held simultaneously from 4-10 July 2016. Each OQT will consist of six (6) participating teams, with the winning team from each event earning a berth for the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament at the Rio Games.

    The most recent editions of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament took place in 2008 and in 2012. They served up some particularly memorable games, as well as incredible excitement and tension - with unforgettable scenes of joy from triumphant players, coaches, staff and fans - all celebrating their precious passage to the Olympic Games.
     
    That famously included NBA star and Germany legend Dirk Nowitzki finally getting to the Olympics for the first time in his illustrious career in 2008 after taking his country to the Beijing Games.

  • Dreams are both made and broken at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) and 2016 will be no different.
     
    The upcoming edition of this exciting event will see 12 teams come together in one venue to fight it out for the last five priceless tickets on offer for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.


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    Twelve (12) women's teams that fell short of qualifying directly for Rio 2016 will have another shot at fulfilling their Olympic aspirations after securing places for the WOQT:

    Africa: Cameroon, Nigeria
    Americas: Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela
    Asia: China, Korea
    Europe: France, Spain, Belarus, Turkey
    Oceania: New Zealand

    These teams will compete in a single 12-team WOQT, with the top five teams earning berths for the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament. The host nation of the WOQT will be selected from the 12 qualified teams.

    The most recent editions of the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament took place in 2008 and in 2012. They witnessed some highly enjoyable and momentous games, played out amongst intense excitement and tension - with unforgettable contrasts in emotions between those who fell short and others who were left joyously celebrating their successful Olympic passage.
     
    There have also been several chapters of women’s basketball history. In Madrid in 2008, Belarus announced their arrival on the global stage by winning the event and punching their ticket to the Olympic Games in Beijing off the back of stellar efforts from their twin towers Yelena Leuchanka and Anastasiya Verameyenka.
     
    There was also unbridled joy for Latvia as they also sealed a maiden Olympic appearance, thanks primarily to their national team legend Anete Jekabsone.
     
    Fast-forward four years later in Ankara and it was France celebrating as they cemented a place at London 2012 and then claimed an Olympic silver medal.
     
    And, with five places for Rio still waiting to be filled, plenty more emotional, exhilarating and potentially historic moments are lying in wait.