Rwanda is once again gearing up to host several regional and international basketball events this year, giving fans the chance to enjoy great basketball at the BK Arena. Notable events this year include the Basketball Africa League (BAL) season five, the U16 AfroBasket for both boys and girls, and the Giants of Africa Festival. In this article, Times Sport brings you some key events scheduled to take place in Rwanda. 1. BAL 2025 Rwanda will once again host part of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2025. The season will feature 12 top club teams from 12 African countries, which will compete in 48 games across cities including Rabat (Morocco), Dakar (Senegal), Kigali (Rwanda), and Pretoria (South Africa). ALSO READ: BAL 2025: Morocco, Rwanda to host conference games as playoffs head to South Africa The 12 teams will be divided into three conferences, with each conference comprising four teams. Each team will play 12 games, facing the other three teams in their respective conferences twice. The Kalahari Conference will take place from April 5–13 in Rabat, Morocco, the Sahara Conference will unfold from April 26–May 4 in Dakar, Senegal, and the Nile Conference will be played from May 17–25 at BK Arena in Kigali. Eight teams from the three conferences will advance to the playoffs, which will take place in Pretoria, South Africa, beginning June 6. The BAL Finals will be held on June 14. 2. Giants of Africa Festival The Giants of Africa (GOA) Festival will also return to Rwanda in 2025. The annual event celebrates African youth through basketball, education, and culture, while aiming to unite young people across the continent and inspire them to become leaders. ALSO READ: Kigali to host Giants of Africa festival The festival will take place in Kigali from July 26 to August 2. This will mark the second time the festival is hosted in Rwanda, following its successful debut in Kigali in 2023, when over 2,000 youth from 16 African countries gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Giants of Africa. 3. U-16 AfroBasket The FIBA U-16 AfroBasket, an international youth basketball competition, will also be hosted in Rwanda in 2025. Organised by FIBA Africa, the tournament features both men’s and women’s under-16 national teams and serves as a qualifier for the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, with the top two teams earning spots. The tournament will take place in July, with the exact dates to be confirmed by FIBA Africa in the near future. 4. Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Basketball Without Borders (BWB), a global basketball development program organised by the NBA and FIBA, will also be welcomed to Kigali in 2025. The invite-only camp aims to develop young players while promoting social change through basketball. ALSO READ: Rwandan youngster Dusabe named Most Improved Player at BWB camp BWB camps are age-based and feature elite boys and girls selected by FIBA, the NBA, and national federations based on their performance and leadership potential. The 2025 camp will be held in Kigali in August, with the exact dates to be announced by NBA Africa.
