Former UGB head coach Yves Murenzi has been appointed to lead the men’s national basketball team during the 2027 FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers which will take place in Tunisia from November 27-30. Murenzi takes over the role which has been vacant since former head coach Cheikh Sarr left on mutual agreement. ALSO READ: FIBA World Cup qualifiers: Rwanda drawn in same group as Nigeria, Tunisia He has served as the national team assistant coach since 2021 and notably guided the team to a bronze medal at the 2023 AfroCan tournament. Murenzi will be assisted by former players Sunny Niyomugabo, Kenny Gasana, and Aristide Mugabe. According to sources, the technical team is expected to meet over the weekend to name a provisional squad, with preparations scheduled to begin in early November. The four-day tournament in Tunisia will feature eight teams from Groups A and C competing for six places in the decisive third round of the African qualifiers. FIBA Africa, the continent’s basketball governing body, confirmed that Tunisia will host the first qualification window for these two groups. Rwanda has been drawn in Group C alongside Nigeria, Guinea, and Tunisia, while Group A features Cameroon, South Sudan, Libya, and Cape Verde. Rwanda earned its spot in the qualifiers after finishing among the top 16 teams at AfroBasket 2025, held in Angola from August 12 to 24. The 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers will be played across six windows between November 2025 and March 2027, with a total of 420 games worldwide. The African windows are scheduled for November 2025, February 2026, and July 2026. ALSO READ: Basketball: Tunisia to host Group A, C of FIBA World Cup qualifiers The top three teams from each group will advance to the second round of the African qualifiers, where they will be joined by three teams from another group.
