Nigeria will take the battle for a FIBA World Cup ticket to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire following the decision of the basketball ruling body, FIBA for the second round of the qualifiers to hold in the cities of Monastir, Tunisia and Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
A release from the FIBA Africa headquarters in Abidjan, had confirmed that Abidjan and Monastir as host cities for Window 4 of the FIBA Basketball Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers.
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire’s largest city – will host the first nine games of Group E while the Tunisian coastal city of Monastir will be home to the first nine games of Group F.
Monastir Salle Mohamed Mzali is a 4,000 capacity arena while Abidjan’s Palais des Sports Treichville can accommodate 3.500 fans.
Games will take place from Friday, August 26 through to Sunday, August 28.
Teams in Group E include hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Angola, Nigeria, Uganda and Guinea. Group F consists of South Sudan, Egypt, hosts Tunisia, DR Congo, Senegal and Cameroon.
It is the second time that Abidjan takes hosting duties in the 2023 African Qualifiers campaign. In early July, the Ivorians hosted the second round of Group C.
Three years ago, Abidjan played host of the last window of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in February 2019 where the home team finished 3-0 to secure the fifth and last ticket available for African teams for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
Meanwhile, Monastir – home to US Monastir who clinched the 2022 Basketball Africa League title – has hosted the second round of Groups A and D of the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket in February 2021.