Kenya to Host Two Major Basketball Championships in November
Kenya Basketball Federation Deputy Treasurer Loise Araka(left) Nairobi City Thunder coach Bradley Ibs addressing the media in Nairobi on 30th October 2025 ahead of the upcoming continental basketball championships.
Kenya will host two premier continental basketball tournaments in November, the Women’s Basketball League Africa Group D qualifiers and the Road to BAL Elite 16, reaffirming the country’s growing reputation as a basketball hub in the region.
Addressing the press on Thursday in Nairobi, Loise Araka, the Deputy Treasurer of the Kenya Basketball Federation, said the tournaments underline FIBA Africa’s confidence in Kenya’s ability to stage high-profile competitions.
“We are very excited to have these two championships being hosted in Kenya because this just affirms the fact that FIBA Africa has confidence in Kenya as a host, as well as a growing basketball hub,” said Araka.
She said the women’s qualifiers will run from November 9 to 15 at Nyayo National Stadium, while the Road to BAL Elite 16 tournament will take place from November 18 to 23 at the Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium.
“We are proud to once again host top regional teams here in Nairobi. These tournaments will not only promote women’s basketball but also showcase Kenya’s growing capacity to host continental events,” she said.
“We currently have a deficit of 41 million for the two championships. Our budget was 70 million, we’ve been able so far to raise about 29 million,” Araka said, urging sponsors to support the events and help elevate the game locally.
She added that eight women’s teams, including Kenya Ports Authority and Zetech University from Kenya, will compete in the qualifiers, with the top two teams advancing to the final round in Cairo, Egypt, in December.
Also speaking, Nairobi City Thunder coach Bradley Ibs said his team is eager to showcase its growth and determination at the Road to BAL tournament.
“I think we realize like there’s room to grow. We were really happy with the success we had essentially in kind of year one of our efforts. But obviously we didn’t perform quite as well as we wanted to, and so I think that creates kind of a humility but also a hunger,” he said.
Lucy Machuma, coach of Zetech University, said her side is ready to make its international debut with confidence and pride.
“Being our very first time, we’re actually honored to be able to appear in the international games. We come, we are well prepared,” she said.
The Kenya Basketball Federation has appealed for greater public and corporate support ahead of the two championships, which are expected to draw top regional talent and energize the country’s basketball scene.
