The Road to BAL 2027, the qualification tournament for the seventh edition of the Basketball Africa League, tips off on October 21 and runs through November 22 across four weeks of continental competition. More than twenty teams have confirmed their entry, with eight returning from last year's edition. Teams are split into East and West Divisions before the decisive Elite 16 round.
Group A (21-25 October, Tripoli, Libya) features West Division clubs Al Ittihad of Libya, Stade Malie of Mali, Nadi Staouedi of Algeria, Nabaya of Guinea and Kriol Star of Cape Verde. Group B (21-25 October, Tripoli, Libya) brings together Energie BC of Benin, AS Douanes of Burkina Faso, Spintex Knights of Ghana, NPA Pythons of Liberia and Red Flames of Sierra Leone. The top two finishers in each group advance to the Elite 16 West Division.
Group C (24-28 October, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo) is the third West Division pool, with ASB Onatra of DR Congo, FAP of Cameroon, Espoir Basketball of Gabon and hosts Avenir du Rail. In the East Division, Group D (21-25 October, Hoima, Uganda) includes Urunani of Burundi, Patriots Basketball Club of South Sudan, hosts Namuwongo Blazers, COSPN of Madagascar and Ushundzi Basket of Comoros. Group E (27-31 October, Lusaka, Zambia) pairs Munali Suns of Zambia, Bravehearts of Malawi, Ferroviario da Beira of Mozambique, Harare Kings of Zimbabwe and a South African side yet to be confirmed.
Abidjan will host the West Division Elite 16 from 10-15 November, with the JCA Kings, fresh from this year's BAL debut, acting as hosts. Nairobi stages the East Division Elite 16 from 17-22 November. The top two teams in each conference qualify for the 2027 BAL season, with FIBA noting that wild cards may also be used to complete the 16-team field.
