Gilas grouped with Australia, New Zealand, Guam in FIBA World Cup qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines, May 18 ------ Gilas Pilipinas has been drawn in a tough group in the Asian Qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup 2027. The Philippines, currently ranked 34th in the world, will battle it out with the World No. 7 Australia, World No. 22 New Zealand and World No. 88 Guam in Group A after draw in Doha, Qatar. 

Through the four groups, this is the toughest on paper. But it is not impossible for Gilas. Last year, the Philippines actually defeated New Zealand, 93-89, at home. But earlier this year, the Nationals absorbed an 87-70 defeat in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers against the Tall Blacks. Australia and Gilas previously faced each other back in 2018, which ended in a bench-clearing brawl. Guam, meanwhile, has San Miguel Beermen guard Jericho Cruz as one of its mainstays.  

According to FIBA, all 16 teams will go through a total of six windows of qualifiers from November 2025 to March 2027 in home-and-away fashion. In the first round, the top three teams from each group will advance to the second round. In the second round, those who will qualify will be placed into new groups, with the results of the prior round carried forward.  

Each country will then take on teams that they have not yet faced. And at the end of the two rounds, the three best placed teams in each group, along with the best fourth placed team, will qualify to the World Cup. Group B is composed of Japan, China, Korea and Taipei. Group C, meanwhile, is composed of Iran, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Group D has Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India and Qatar. 

Source: philstar.com