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  Côte d’Ivoire

  2026 Women's Playoffs: FBA and SOA Advance to Dream Championship Series

  The 2026 Ligue d’Or 1XBET Women's Finals will feature two of the most consistent teams of the season after Friends Basketball Association (FBA) and SOA swept their respective semifinal series to secure their spots in the title showdown. Defending champions FBA delivered a statement performance against GSPM. The Gladiators opened the series with a stunning 111-49 victory before completing the sweep with a 73-62 win in Game 2. Their dominance on both ends of the floor reaffirmed their status as the team to beat as they pursue a second consecutive championship. SOA, meanwhile, overcame ABC in a more competitive semifinal. The military side claimed a 58-50 victory in the opening game and followed it up with a hard-fought 59-54 win in the return leg. Their discipline and execution in key moments proved decisive as they secured a 2-0 series victory. The upcoming final promises to be one of the most exciting matchups of the season. FBA will be looking to defend its crown and complete another successful campaign, while SOA aims to reclaim the national title and end the Gladiators' reign at the top of women's basketball in Côte d’Ivoire.
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  Côte d’Ivoire

  Ligue d’Or 1XBET 2026: ABC Remains Unbeaten, Sets Up Finals Clash with JCA Kings

  The stage is set for the 2026 Ligue d’Or 1XBET Playoffs Final after Abidjan Basket Club (ABC) and JCA Kings successfully booked their places in the championship series with commanding semifinal performances. ABC continued its remarkable undefeated run through the 2025-26 season by sweeping the SOA in two games. The Fighters opened the series with a dominant 103-63 victory before sealing qualification with an 80-62 win in Game 2. Their balanced offense and defensive intensity once again highlighted why they have been the benchmark team throughout the campaign. Meanwhile, reigning champions JCA Kings also advanced without needing a deciding game. After defeating Hypersonics 84-71 in the first leg, the Kings completed the sweep with a 72-64 victory in the return game. Leveraging their playoff experience and championship pedigree, JCA once again demonstrated why they remain one of the most formidable teams in Ivorian basketball. The highly anticipated final will now pit the league's unbeaten powerhouse against the defending champions. ABC will be looking to cap a flawless season with a national title, while JCA Kings will aim to secure back-to-back championships and further cement their status among the country's elite clubs.
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  World

  FIBA U17 World Cups 2026: Ivory Coast officially launches its historic campaign

  The Federation Ivoirienne de Basket-Ball officially launched the campaign of its men's and women's U17 national teams on Friday, May 29, at the Noom Hotel Plateau in Abidjan ahead of the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cups. The event marks a historic milestone for Ivorian basketball, as both teams will compete in the global tournament for the first time in the country's history. The boys' competition will take place in Turkey from June 27 to July 5, while the girls' tournament will be held in Czechia from July 11 to July 19. During the ceremony, SAPLED, through its POPITO brand, confirmed its support for both national teams, providing financial and material assistance throughout their preparations and participation in the World Cups. SAPLED CEO Jules Alliali explained that the partnership builds on the company's involvement with Ivory Coast's youth basketball programs earlier this season. FIBB President Moussa Diarra praised the partnership while calling on more companies and institutions to support the country's young athletes. He emphasized that Ivory Coast will not only represent itself but also the African continent on the world stage. On the court, both coaching staffs expressed confidence in their preparations. U17 boys head coach Anderson Affi highlighted the team's steady improvement, while U17 girls coach Thoms N'DA praised the commitment and work ethic displayed by his players during training camp. The boys' team is already in Voiron, France, where it began the second phase of its preparation on May 27. The squad will play several friendly games against European opposition, including France, before heading to Istanbul. Ivory Coast has been drawn into Group D alongside Venezuela, Australia, and Serbia. Meanwhile, the girls will continue their preparation in Spain, where they are expected to face top-level international competition before traveling to Brno. The Young Elephants have been placed in Group A with the United States, Australia, and Latvia, creating one of the toughest challenges of the tournament. With growing support from sponsors, federation officials, and basketball fans across the country, Ivory Coast's young talents are preparing to make history on the global stage.

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  Côte d’Ivoire

  Ligue d’Or Playoffs 2026: ABC, JCA and Hypersonics advance as SOA survives thrilling Game 3 against AZUR

  The 2026 N1 Ligue d’Or 1XBET playoffs got off to a dramatic start at the Hall 1 of the Palais des Sports de Treichville. From dominant sweeps to major upsets and a thrilling three-game battle between SOA and AZUR, the quarterfinals delivered high-level intensity before the race for the championship moved into the semifinals. The most competitive series of the quarterfinals featured SOA and AZUR. AZUR drew first blood with a dramatic 77-75 victory in Game 1 behind an outstanding performance from Alla Atoulé, who finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. However, the Soldiers responded strongly in Game 2, defeating AZUR 86-78 to level the series at 1-1. The decisive Game 3 on Monday, May 25, turned into a fierce battle before SOA relied on its experience to secure a hard-fought 73-69 victory and punch its ticket to the semifinals. Meanwhile, Abidjan Basket Club (ABC) completely dominated its matchup against CBA. ABC controlled the series from start to finish, winning 71-43 in Game 1 before closing things out with an emphatic 86-56 victory in Game 2. Malick Souaré stood out early in the series with an impressive double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds as ABC confirmed its status as one of the title favorites. The JCA Kings also made a strong statement against Fusion. The Kings crushed their opponents 77-47 in the opening game thanks to a dominant performance from captain Kra Ulrich, who posted 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists for a game-high efficiency rating of 30. Fusion showed more resistance in the second matchup, but JCA remained in control and completed the sweep with an 80-71 victory to advance to the semifinals. The biggest surprise of the quarterfinals came from Hypersonics. Facing ASA, the student-based squad displayed resilience and composure to win both games of the series. After taking Game 1 by a score of 71-66 behind Nathan Jako’s 18-point performance, Hypersonics sealed qualification with a dramatic 73-68 overtime victory in Game 2. 2026 Playoff Semifinal Matchups Men ABC vs SOA JCA Kings vs Hypersonics Women FBA vs GSPM ABC vs SOA The semifinals are scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 28, 2026, with several highly anticipated matchups expected to raise the intensity even further in the race for the national title.

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  Africa

  FIBA U17 World Cup 2026: Young Elephants discover official schedule for historic debut

  The FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2026 will take place from June 27 to July 5, 2026 in Turkey, and the Ivory Coast men's national under-17 basketball team now know their official schedule. Crowned African U16 champions in 2025, the Young Elephants will make their first-ever appearance at the prestigious global tournament. Placed in Group D, Côte d’Ivoire will face three major basketball nations: Venezuela, Australia, and Serbia. It is a challenging group that will offer the young Ivorians an opportunity to test themselves against some of the world’s top youth programs. Ivory Coast U17 Schedule 🇨🇮 🆚 Venezuela 📅 June 27, 2026 🕧 12:15 GMT 🆚 Australia 📅 June 28, 2026 🕤 9:30 GMT 🆚 Serbia 📅 June 30, 2026 🕝 14:30 GMT Preparations continue for the African champions, with a second training phase scheduled in France, where the team will play several friendly games before traveling to Istanbul for the competition. Ivory Coast will aim to make a strong impression in its first appearance on the global U17 stage.

  Côte d’Ivoire
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  Côte d’Ivoire

  Ligue d’Or 2025 - 2026: MVPs, Coaches and Referees Honored Ahead of Explosive Playoffs

  With the 2026 Ligue d’Or 1XBET playoffs approaching, the individual awards from the regular season continue to recognize the standout figures of Ivorian basketball. Following an intense campaign featuring 21 rounds in the women’s division and 22 rounds in the men’s category, players, coaches, and referees were celebrated for their performances and contributions throughout the season. Moussa Koné, forward and captain of Abidjan Basket Club (ABC), was officially named the men’s MVP of the regular season. Known for his leadership, defensive presence, and clutch performances, Koné played a major role in ABC’s strong campaign. The men’s MVP rankings released by the FIBB are: 🥇 Moussa Koné (ABC) 🥈 Ismaël Diarra (ABC) 🥉 Ouattara Mohamed (ASA) In the women’s division, the MVP award went to Badiallo Dicko of GSPM Basket. Her consistency, scoring ability, and leadership helped establish GSPM among the league’s strongest teams this season. The women’s rankings are: 🥇 Badiallo Dicko (GSPM) 🥈 Rokia Doumbia (FBA) 🥉 Adidjata Traore (ABC) The Fédération Ivoirienne de Basket-Ball (FIBB) also announced the top coaches of the regular season. Women’s Coaches Rankings: 🥇 Benga Lemou (FBA) 🥈 N’DA Thoms (ABC) 🥉 Marc Koffi (SOA) Men’s Coaches Rankings: 🥇 AFFI Anderson (ABC) 🥈 N’GARDINGA Eloi (AZUR) 🥉 SIDIBE Ousmane (ASA) The awards were determined through votes from basketball stakeholders including statisticians, club officials, and athletes. Best Referees Also Honored: The FIBB also revealed the best referees of the 2025-2026 regular season. 🥇 Zouzou Nadège 🥈 Diop Jean-Marie 🥉 Niamien Toussaint The federation praised the officials for their professionalism and their contribution to the successful organization of the championship throughout the season. With the MVPs, coaches, and referees now officially recognized, the regular season comes to an end as attention turns fully toward the highly anticipated 2026 playoffs, which promise an exciting battle for the national title.