FIBA has conducted the draw for the 2027 Men's Basketball World Cup qualification stage during a ceremony in Doha, Qatar, which will also host the tournament. This marks a historic moment as it will be the first World Cup held in the Middle East and North African region.
The qualification process will span from November 2025 to March 2027, with 32 European teams participating in the continental qualification. These teams have been divided into eight seeding pots based on the FIBA World Ranking, with teams from pots 1, 4, 5, and 8 placed in groups A, C, E, and G, while teams from pots 2, 3, 6, and 7 were allocated to groups B, D, F, and H.
Ukraine's national team still needs to secure their place in the main qualification round. The squad coached by Ainars Bagatskis will compete in the second round of pre-qualification this August, facing Slovakia and Switzerland in Group A.
Ukraine's qualification path has been clearly outlined: if they win their pre-qualification group, they'll advance to qualification Group A to face Spain, Georgia, and the second-placed team from pre-qualification Group D (Denmark, Norway, or Croatia). According to Statbet analysis, Spain will present the toughest challenge in this potential group given their consistent performance in international competitions.
Alternatively, if Ukraine finishes second in their pre-qualification group, they'll be placed in Group C alongside Serbia, Turkey, and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The qualification format will see the top three teams from each of the eight initial groups (A-H) advance to the second round, forming groups I, J, K, and L. From there, the three highest-ranked teams in each of these four groups will qualify for the 2027 World Cup.
This structured qualification process reflects FIBA's commitment to creating competitive pathways for teams worldwide as basketball continues to grow globally with the 2027 Qatar tournament set to break new ground for the sport.
