Published on, 24 May 2026
Doha – May 24, 2026:
The Executive Office of the Asian Basketball Confederation has confirmed the venues and dates for the rescheduled matches from the second window, along with the full schedule for the third and final window of the first stage of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup – Qatar 2027. The adjustments follow the official postponement of the March fixtures by FIBA due to regional circumstances at the time, prioritizing the safety of players, staff, and delegations. With the new calendar, Qatar’s national team will play three decisive matches in quick succession as they aim to advance to the second round of continental qualifiers.
Qatar will first face Saudi Arabia in a highly anticipated Gulf clash on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 7:00 PM at Al Gharafa Sports Hall in Doha, in the rescheduled fixture from the second window.
Following the Saudi encounter, Qatar will travel to India for their second match of the third window, visiting the Indian national team on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Ahmedabad.
The team will conclude this stage with another tough test against Saudi Arabia on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Jeddah.
Qatar enters this phase after delivering impressive performances in the qualifiers. They opened with a narrow 74–75 loss to Lebanon in Doha, decided by just one point, before securing a historic 86–83 victory over Lebanon on their home court. The team then continued its rise with a commanding 99–73 win over India in Doha.
Group D has proven to be one of the most competitive in the Asian Qualifiers, with Lebanon, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia currently tied at the top with five points each, while India sits fourth with three points.
The ongoing Asian and Oceanian qualifiers feature 16 teams divided into four groups:
According to the qualification system, the top three teams from each group advance to the second round, where they will be redistributed into two new groups. From there, three teams from each group, plus the best fourth-placed team overall, will qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The qualifiers span six windows over more than 18 months, from November 2025 to March 2027, forming a rigorous pathway to the historic edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, hosted by Qatar for the first time from Friday, August 27 to Sunday, September 12, 2027.