The Road to BAL, also known as the BAL Qualifying Tournaments, are the qualifying tournaments of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). While the main tournament is co-organised by FIBA and the NBA, the organization of the qualifiers is completely done by FIBA. The first qualifying rounds began on 16 October 2019 during the 2021 BAL qualification.

The qualifiers are geographically divided into the West and East Division, with three teams qualifying out of each division. Semi-finals and finals are played to determine the winners of the qualifying tournaments.

History The first BAL qualifying game was played on October 16, 2019, in the qualification for the 2021 season. The City Oilers from Uganda defeated Dynamo 71–57 in Dar es Salaam.

During the second season, the name "Road to BAL" was used for the first time, which would later become the event name.

The following years, the competition was held in different venues in several countries, but held the same format which led to six teams qualifying for the main tournament.

Format The national champions of each national federation (associated with FIBA Africa) can sign up for the BAL qualifiers.

In the inaugural edition, a total of 31 teams from 31 countries participate in the qualifying tournaments to determine which six teams will play in the 2020 BAL regular season, along with six directly placed six teams.

The qualifying tournaments are divided into the first round and the Elite 16; teams are also divided into the East Division and the West Division. Out of each division, three teams advance to the main tournament.

Venues The qualifying rounds are usually played in groups of four to six teams that play each other once in a venue in a pre-determined location. The following arenas have hosted at least one group in either the first round or elite 16: +List of venues that have hosted one or more Road to BAL phase or group (2021–present)VenueCityCountrySeasons hostedEllis Park ArenaJohannesburg1 (2023)Wembley Stadium2 (2021, 2022)Palais des Sports de TreichvilleAbidjan3 (2023, 2025, 2026)Palais du 29 JuilletNiamey1 (2023)Palais des Sports MahamasinaAntananarivo2 (2021, 2023)Palais des Sports du 28 SeptembreConakry1 (2022)National Indoor StadiumDar es Salaam3 (2022–2024, 2026)The Filbert Bayi Olympafrica CentreKibaha1 (2025)Kigali ArenaKigali1 (2021)Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports ComplexYaoundé3 (2021–2023)Palais des Sports Salamatou MaïgaBamako2 (2021, 2026)Palais des Sports de CotonouCotonou1 (2021)Palais des Sports de LibrevilleLibreville1 (2021)Tripoli Great HallTripoli1 (2025)Japoma Multisports Complex GymnasiumDouala1 (2025)City Sports CenterHarare1 (2025)Kasarani Indoor ArenaNairobi2 (2025, 2026)Gymnase Multisports de la Police Nationale CKinshasa1 (2026)NASDEC Sports ComplexLusaka1 (2026)Pavilhão Desportivo Vavá DuartePraia1 (2026)

Results Qualified for the Basketball Africa League proper East Division YearFinals hostFirst place gameThird place gameWinnersScoreRunners-upThird placeScoreFourth place2021Kigali Patriots BBC94–63 GNBC Ferroviário de Maputo74–57 City Oilers162022Johannesburg Ferroviário da Beira91–65 Cobra Sport Cape Town Tigers20–0 New Star102023 Cape Town Tigers81–71 Ferroviário da Beira City Oilers71–62 Urunani102024 Cape Town Tigers70–68 City Oilers Dynamo79–78 COSPN142025Nairobi Nairobi City Thunder99–86 Kriol Star Urunani77–75 City Oilers142026 Nairobi City Thunder94–84 Johannesburg Giants Dar City92–77 Ferroviário da Beira9

West Division YearFinals hostFirst place gameThird place gameWinnersScoreRunners-upThird placeScoreFourth place2021Yaoundé GS Pétroliers92–88 FAP AS Police71–69 ABC Fighters132022 FAP81–34 SLAC Espoir Fukash93–87 (OT) AS Police82023Abidjan ABC Fighters81–70 SLAC Stade Malien62–59 Bangui Sporting Club102024Yaoundé Bangui Sporting Club93–90 FUS Rabat Al Ahly Benghazi93–84 FAP92025Abidjan Al Ahli Tripoli71–68 Stade Malien ABC Fighters92–53 KSA122026Praia Al Ahli Ly105–92 JCA Abidjan CRB Tombouctou90–64 Spintex Knights11

Performance by country As of November 2024, 13 different clubs from 12 countries have qualified for the BAL's main tournament. As of the 2023 season, Nigeria, Rwanda, Egypt, Senegal and Tunisia are given a bye for the qualifiers as they qualify directly for the BAL. In 2021, Morocco was also given an automatic spot.

All-time participants The following is a list of clubs who have played in the BAL Qualifying Tournaments at any time since its formation in 2019, or will play in the upcoming season. Defunct Defunct teams 1st Champions 2nd Runners-up 3rd Third place SF Semi-finalists E16 Elite 16 R1 First roundW Withdrew

Team212223242526TotalseasonsTimes qualified GS Pétroliers – –––– 1 1 WA Boufarik – W –––– – – Dolphins R1 – –R1–R1 3 – ASPAC R1 E16 –––– 2 – Elan Coton – – R1 R1R1R1 4 – AOA – W –––– – – AS Douanes–––––R11– USFA––––W––– AbeillesW – ––R1– 2 – Tondema – R1 –––– 1 – Bangui Sporting Club – – 4th –– 2 1 New Tech Bantou – – –––E16 1 – Lamantins–––R1––1– Tempo – – W ––– – – Djabal – – R1 ––R1 2 – Usoni R1 – –––– 1 – Ushindzi–––R1W–1– ABC Fighters – E16– 3 1 SOA – E16 –––– 1 – Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan – – ––– 1 1 FAP E16 4th–– 4 1 KSA–––– 4th–1– BEAC–––––W–– Chaux Sport––––E16–1– Mazembe E16 – –––– 1 – Espoir Fukash – –––– 1 1 Vita Club – – W ––– – – Virunga–––R1––1– New Generation–––––E161– Prédio – W –––– – – Kriol Star––––R1E162– Manga BB E16 – –––– 1 – Moanda––––E16E162– Espoir – – R1 R1–– 2 – SLAC R1 E16–– 4 2 Centre Fédéral de Guinée – – – ––R1 1 – Virgen María de África R1 – –––– 1 – Nueva Era – – E16 ––– 1 – Malabo Kings – W –––– – – Braves of Customs R1 – – ––– 1 – Reformers of Prisons – – W ––– – – Spintex Knights––––E164th2– Hawassa City R1 W –W– 1 – City Oilers E16 – 5 2 Namuwongo Blazers – ––––E16 1 – AS Police 4th –––– 2 1 Stade Malien – – W– 2 2 CRB Tombouctou – – ––– 1 – ABC (Army) – – R1 ––– 1 – JKT E16 – ––R1– 1 – Kurasini Heat – E16 –––– 1 – Pazi–––E16––1– Dar City––––– 11 Cobra Sport E16 W––– 2 – Fox––––R1–1– Dynamo R1 – ––W 2 – New Star – 4th –––– 1 – Urunani – – 4th – – 2 – Jozi Nuggets R1 – –––– 1 – Cape Town Tigers – –– 3 3 Johannesburg Giants – – ––– 1 1 Costa do Sol––––R1–1– Ferroviário de Maputo – –––– 1 1 Ferroviário da Beira – E16–4th 4 2 Roche-Bois Warriors – R1 W –– 1 – Lions R1 – –––– 1 – Beau Vallon Heat R1 – –R1R1– 2 – Al Ahly Ly––––22 Al Ahli Tripoli–––––11 Al-Nasr Benghazi E16 – –––– 1 – AS Salé – W E16 ––– 1 – FUS Rabat – – ––– 1 1 ASCUT – W –––– – – COSPN – – E16 4th–W 2 – GNBC – ––R1– 2 1 Brave Hearts – R1 –WE16R1 3 – Nairobi City Thunder––––22 KPA E16 – E16 R1–– 3 – Ulinzi Warriors – E16 –––– 1 – Matero Magic – E16 E16 –E16E16 4 – Munali Suns–––R1––1– UNZA Pacers E16 – –––– 1 – Nigelec E16 E16 R1 W–– 3 – Mighty Barrolle––––R1–1– NPA Pythons R1 – –––– 1 – LPRC Oilers – – –––R1 1 – Patriots – –––– 1 1 JBC–––E16––1– Hounds––––R1R12– Mercenaries R1 W –––– 1 – Vixens-Foxes – –W ––– 1 – NBA Academy Africa––E16E16Q–3–

All-time record by club As of 8 October 2022.

ClubYears4th3rd FAP317134––11 ABC317116 1––1 Patriots1990–– –1 Ferroviário de Maputo11082– 1–– AS Police214771 1–– City Oilers211741––– SLAC31468––2– GNBC1963––1– GS Pétroliers1862–––1 Stade Malien1862–1–– KPA1761–––– Ferroviário da Beira1761–––1 Nigelec317512–––– UNZA Pacers1853–––– Cape Town Tigers1752– 1–– Bangui Sporting Club16511––– Cobra Sport21349––1– New Star1642 1––– Manga BB1642–––– Espoir Fukash1633– 1–– Al-Nasr Benghazi1333–––– Mercenaries1532–––– Elan Coton1624–––– JKT1725–––– ASPAC2624– ––– SOA1422–––– Matero Magic3817–––– Mazembe1615–––– Nueva Era1514–––– Tondema1514–––– Jozi Nuggets1514–––– Lions1514–––– Dolphins1514–––– Dynamo1413–––– Braves of Customs1413–––– Ulinzi Warriors1413–––– NPA Pythons1413–––– Beau Vallon Heat1413–––– AS Salé1312–––– ABC1312–––– Hawassa City1404–––– Usoni1404–––– Virgen María de África1303–––– Roche-Bois Warriors1303–––– Tondema1202–––– Brave Hearts1202–––– Djabal Iconi1202–––– Espoir1202––––

Records

Team records

Best performance by record: Patriots in the 2019 qualification (9–0) Largest win 96 points difference (Ferroviário da Beira 132–36 Roche-Bois Warriors) on October 22, 2021 83 points difference (Djabal Iconi 37–120 KPA) on October 22, 2022 77 points difference (KPA 131–54 Usoni Club) on November 1, 2019 Most points scored in a game 131 by KPA (131–54 vs. Usoni Club) on November 1, 2019 Fewest points scored in a game 36 by Roche-Bois Warriors (vs. Ferroviário da Beira) on October 30, 2019

Individual records

Most points scored in a game 55 by Raphiael Putney, Dar City (vs. Djabal Iconi) on October 17, 2025 Most rebounds in a game 26 by Michael Mukumbutaa, Lions Windhoek (vs. UNZA Pacers) on October 27, 2019 22 by Ameh Eric Ejeh, ASPAC (vs. Nigelec) on October 30, 2019 Most assists in a game 12 by Stephane Mshana, JKT (vs. Dynamo) on October 20, 2019 12 by Solo Diabate, Al Ahly Benghazi (vs. FAP) on November 5, 2023 Most steals in a game 9 by Abdoulaye Harouna, Nigelec (vs. FAP) on November 28, 2019 Most blocks in a game 9 by Frank Kamndoh Betoudji, Virunga (vs. FAP) on October 9, 2023 Most 3-point field goals made in a game 9 by Timothy Kwaor, Nigelec (vs. NPA Pythons) on November 1, 2019 Oldest player to play in a game James Truman Bedeah, Mighty Barrolle at 45 years old in the 2025 BAL qualification

Notes

References