Published on, 09 February 2026
Doha – February 9, 2026:
The Qatar men’s national basketball team continues its intensive preparations for the second window of the Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup – Qatar 2027.
The team has launched its overseas training camp in Turkey, where it will spend several days in an ideal environment combining technical, physical, and practical preparation to ensure the players are in peak condition before resuming official competition.
The Qatari delegation is headed by Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams.
This camp follows the team’s impressive performance in the first window, highlighted by a historic away victory over Lebanon (86–83) in Beirut during the second round, making up for the narrow loss in the opening game in Doha (74–75).
Qatar currently sits second in Group D with 3 points, level with Lebanon and just one point behind Saudi Arabia, who lead with 4 points. India occupy the bottom spot with 2 points. This tight ranking makes the second window’s matches crucial in determining qualification for the next stage.
The technical staff, led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir, selected Turkey as the camp location to allow the players to undergo intensive daily training. The program includes physical, technical, and tactical sessions, fitness and endurance drills, and a focus on strengthening team cohesion across all lines.
Qatar faces two decisive fixtures in the second window: against India on Friday, February 27, 2026, and against Saudi Arabia on Monday, March 2, 2026. Both matches will be hosted at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha.
The Asian and Oceanian qualifiers feature 16 teams divided into four groups. Group A includes Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Guam; Group B features Japan, China, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei; Group C comprises Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq; while Group D brings together Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and India. The top three teams from each group advance to the second round, where they will be split into two new groups. From each group, three teams plus the best fourth-placed team will qualify for the World Cup finals.
The qualifiers are organized across six windows spanning more than 18 months, from November 2025 to March 2027, giving teams ample time to prepare between official rounds.
FIBA has set the following qualification windows: