Bahrain on Road to 2029 Asia Cup

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain will begin its bid to qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2029 when it competes in the First Round of the Pre-Qualifiers in Dubai later this year.

FIBA Asia has confirmed the draw, placing Bahrain in Group A alongside hosts United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Nepal. The tournament will run from August 24 to September 1, marking the opening step on the road to Asia’s premier men’s basketball championship.

Bahrain opens its campaign against Oman on August 27, before quickly turning around to face the UAE the following day. After a rest day on August 29, it meets Nepal on August 30, then closes its group stage against Kuwait on August 31.

Only the top three teams from the group will move on to the Second Round of the Pre-Qualifiers, scheduled for the November 23 to December 1 international window.

Bahrain enters the competition with both experience and expectation. The national team has featured in the FIBA Asia Cup nine times, with its strongest finish coming in 1997 when it placed 10th. Currently ranked 75th in the world, they will be looking to turn their experience into consistent results as they attempt to re-establish themselves among Asia’s competitive side.

Elsewhere in the draw, Group B features Kazakhstan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Kyrgyzstan. Group C includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while Group D consists of Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Fiji.

The First Round matches will be staged across Dubai, Almaty, Seremban, and Ulaanbaatar, with FIBA also confirming a host city change in Kazakhstan from Atyrau to Almaty.

At the end of the two-round Pre-Qualifiers, eight teams will advance to the FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Qualifiers, joining 16 nations that secured direct entry through their participation in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Jeddah.

From there, the qualification process will continue across three international windows, gradually shaping the final 16-team lineup for the 2029 tournament.