DOHA, Qatar (May 13, 2025) — The road to qualify for the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2027 officially began today as the draw ceremony for the qualifiers took place at the Al Hazm in Doha.

The draw process featured 16 teams from the Americas region, placed into eight pots based on the FIBA Men’s World Ranking, presented by Nike, while also respecting geographic distribution. Canada and the United States were both placed in pot 1 as the region’s top-ranked teams.

Canada was pre-allocated into Group B and, following the draw, will face Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and the second-place team from the North Pre-Qualifier this August in the First Round of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

The 2027 edition of the global tournament will once again feature 32 teams, continuing the competition format introduced in 2017 – including six windows over a 15-month period.

The first window of qualifying action tips off in November 2025, followed by additional windows in February 2026 and June/July 2026, before the second round of FIBA World Cup Qualifiers begins later that year.

The top three teams from each group following the first three windows of competition will advance to the second round, forming new groups (E and F) as the pathway to the final qualifying stages begins to take shape.

Today’s ceremony included four distinct draws, Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe, as national teams around the world begin their journey toward basketball’s biggest stage.

Following a historic run at the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023 that culminated in a bronze medal — Canada’s best-ever finish — the Senior Men’s National Team is looking to build on its global momentum heading into 2027.

More information, including game dates, venues, and the full qualification pathway, will be available in the coming weeks.

For more information about the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, visit www.fiba.basketball.