India placed in Group D with Qatar, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia for FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers

The draw for the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers was held on Tuesday at Alhazm in Doha, which will also host the main basketball tournament from August 27 to September 12, 2027. It will be the first time the Men's Basketball World Cup is held in the Arab world, and the third straight edition will be staged in Asia.

A total of 80 national teams from the four FIBA regions of Africa (16 teams), the Americas (16 teams), Asia and Oceania (16 teams), and Europe (32 teams) will play in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers draw

Asia and Oceania:

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Guam

Group B: Japan, People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei

Group C: Iran, Jordan, Syria, Iraq

Group D: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar

India has yet to qualify for the FIBA World Cup in the previous 19 editions. It will be hoping to break new ground during the six-window qualification cycle that begins November 24, 2025, and runs through early 2027.

FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers windows:

November 24 to December 2, 2025

February 23 to March 3, 2026

June 29 to July 7, 2026

August 24 to September 1, 2026

November 23 to December 1, 2026

February 22 to March 2, 2027

Qatar, as hosts, will automatically progress to the second round and eventually to the FIBA World Cup, leaving the other three teams in Group D - including India - to battle for the two remaining spots in the next stage.

Lebanon, ranked 29th in the world, is the top-ranked team in Group D. Saudi Arabia is ranked 65th, followed by India at 76th and Qatar at 87th. Matches will be played on a home-and-away basis in six windows.

World No. 3 Germany are the reigning champion, having won their first-ever FIBA World Cup title in 2023.

The FIBA 2027 World Cup will feature 32 nations. It will also be a qualifying event for the LA 2028 Olympics. (ANI)