Côte d'Ivoire opened the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers with an 83-77 victory over Mali at the Dakar Arena on Thursday, moving to the top of Group F.
The result reshuffled the standings after seven matchdays. Ivory Coast lead with six wins and one defeat for 13 points, followed by Senegal, Angola, Mali and Egypt, with DR Congo at the bottom.
Angola beat DR Congo 100-68 and Egypt defeated Senegal 87-76 in the other Group F games on the same day. Africa holds five places for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, with the top two from each group and the best third-placed team advancing.
The Eléphants return to the court on Saturday for the next matchday in Dakar. The second round runs from 27-30 August 2026, after which Ivory Coast will have played nine qualifying games. The final three fixtures of the campaign will be held in Abidjan in February 2027.
