The fourth window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers got underway on Thursday, August 27, with six games across Dakar, Senegal, and Radès, Tunisia. The opening night delivered several statement victories, including impressive performances from South Sudan, Angola, Cameroon and Egypt.
While Côte d’Ivoire opened Group F with an important 83–77 victory over Mali, the other five games also produced plenty of talking points in the race for Africa’s five places at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.
South Sudan survive Guinea comeback
South Sudan 81–71 Guinea
South Sudan began their second-round campaign with an important 81–71 victory over Guinea.
Guinea fought back strongly and made the game competitive, but the Bright Stars maintained enough composure to close out the win. The result strengthens South Sudan's position among the leading teams in Group E and underlines their status as one of Africa's strongest national programs.
Angola's defense overwhelms DR Congo
Angola 100–68 DR Congo
Angola produced one of the most dominant performances of the opening day, crushing the Democratic Republic of the Congo 100–68.
The Angolans were relentless defensively, forcing turnovers throughout the game and setting a new competition record with 24 steals. Their defensive pressure allowed them to run in transition and pull away decisively.
The victory puts Angola at 5–2 in Group F, keeping the three-time African champions firmly in the qualification race.
Yves Missi powers Cameroon past Nigeria
Cameroon 78–62 Nigeria
Cameroon also made a statement in Radès, defeating Nigeria 78–62.
The difference-maker was NBA big man Yves Missi, who delivered a dominant all-around performance with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. His presence inside helped Cameroon control the game physically and limit Nigeria's offensive options.
The victory leaves Cameroon at the top of Group E with a 6–1 record, continuing an excellent qualifying campaign.
Tunisia edges Cape Verde in a defensive battle
Tunisia 60–56 Cape Verde
In another closely fought Group E encounter, hosts Tunisia defeated Cape Verde 60–56.
The game was dominated by defense, with neither team able to establish a significant offensive rhythm. Tunisia nevertheless found enough production to secure the four-point victory and improve to 5–2 in the group.
Egypt shocks Senegal in Dakar
Egypt 76–67 Senegal
One of the biggest surprises of the night came at the Dakar Arena, where Egypt defeated hosts Senegal 76–67.
The Egyptians produced a disciplined performance to neutralize Senegal's home-court advantage and claim a valuable road victory.
Omar Oraby was particularly important for Egypt, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Pharaohs improved to 4–3 in Group F.
The result is a major boost for Egypt's qualification hopes, while Senegal will have to bounce back quickly with another difficult game against Angola coming up.
Côte d’Ivoire also makes a winning start
Mali 77–83 Côte d’Ivoire
In the other Group F matchup, Côte d’Ivoire defeated Mali 83–77 in Dakar.
The Elephants controlled much of the game before resisting a late Mali comeback to secure their first victory of the fourth window. The result moved Côte d’Ivoire to 6–1, giving them sole possession of first place in Group F after the opening day.
Results from Day 1
Group E
🇬🇳 Guinea 71–81 🇸🇸 South Sudan
🇳🇬 Nigeria 62–78 🇨🇲 Cameroon
🇹🇳 Tunisia 60–56 🇨🇻 Cape Verde
Group F
🇦🇴 Angola 100–68 🇨🇩 DR Congo
🇲🇱 Mali 77–83 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire
🇪🇬 Egypt 76–67 🇸🇳 Senegal
The race for Qatar 2027 heats up
After the opening day, Cameroon leads Group E at 6–1, followed by South Sudan at 6–2 and Tunisia at 5–2. In Group F, Côte d’Ivoire sits alone at the top with a 6–1 record, ahead of Senegal, Mali and Angola, all at 5–2.
With four more windows still to come after this round, nothing is decided yet. But Thursday's results have already demonstrated just how competitive the African race to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be.
The action continues immediately, with South Sudan facing Nigeria on August 28, while Côte d’Ivoire will return to action on August 29 against Egypt.