Joe Apu
Reigning AfroBasket Women champions, Nigeria, having recorded a smooth 4-0 win at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments 2019, held in Maputo, Mozambique, last weekend, and 16 other teams will on November 27 know their opponents for the qualification series proper.
The national teams of Mozambique and Nigeria claimed the two spots reserved for Africa, the Americas tournaments saw Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United States advance, while Australia, China, Japan and Korea progressed from Asia-Oceania.
Six teams from Europe had already qualified previously via the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2019.
The official draw ceremony to sort the 16 teams into the four tournaments will take place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, FIBA headquarters, on November 27.
The top three teams from each of these tournaments, consisting of four teams each, will qualify for the Olympics.
FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018 champions, USA, and the host of the Olympic Games, Japan, will play in the qualification tournaments, but will advance through to the Tokyo 2020 Women’s Olympic Basketball tournament regardless of their results.
The 16 teams that will compete at the FIBA women Olympic qualifying tournament are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mozambique and Nigeria. Others are Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United States of America.