Nairobi set to host key FIBA continental qualifying events

A successful Road to BAL (Basketball Africa League) Elite 16 hosted in Nairobi in November last year has opened more doors for Kenya to host FIBA Africa qualifying events in the second part of 2025.

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With the Road to BAL and the Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) qualifiers set for the opening two weeks of October, sources close to organisers have revealed that Nairobi could play host to at least two qualifying events.

Additionally, the second edition of the annual East Africa Basketball Championship Cup (EABCC) Zone 5 has been confirmed for a return to the city. The league was established by Zone president Hesham El Hariri, aiming to provide a competition for teams that did not qualify for the Road to BAL as national champions.

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The inaugural season was held in December 2024 in Nairobi, with six teams competing, as Remesha from Burundi were crowned the inaugural champion.

The Road to BAL Group Phase matches pit Zone Five men’s league champions against each other for a chance to feature in the Elite 16, the final qualifying round to BAL. Nairobi City Thunder, back-to-back Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) champions and the first Kenyan team to qualify for BAL, will look to make the premier continental competition for the second time in a row.

Meanwhile, the WBLA, the women’s continental club competition, qualifiers will see national champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) fight to get back to the final slated for Cairo, Egypt, in December. The Dockers missed out on last year’s final after finishing fourth in the Zone qualifiers held in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Even though the country was confirmed as hosts for the Road to BAL Elite 16, East Division last year, with barely 10 days to prepare, organisers gave participants and fans alike an unforgettable experience.

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