Rwanda’s U18 boys' and girls' national basketball teams will depart for Cairo, Egypt, on Monday night to compete in the 2026 FIBA Africa Zone V Championship, scheduled to run from July 23 to 29. The teams will travel aboard national carrier RwandAir. The girls’ tournament will feature hosts Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, while the boys’ competition will bring together hosts Egypt, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The winners of the boys’ and girls’ tournaments will qualify for the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket Championships, which will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from August 5 to 16. Hosts Côte d’Ivoire have already secured an automatic place in the 12-team boys’ tournament. They will be joined by Cameroon, Mali, Senegal and Morocco, who all finished in the top four at the 2024 edition. Chad also booked a place at the continental showpiece after winning the Zone 4 qualifiers held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, last week. In the girls’ competition, hosts Côte d’Ivoire have also qualified automatically, alongside the top four teams from the 2024 edition—Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon and Uganda. Rwanda will be aiming to win the Zone V title and secure qualification for the continental championships. Final squads Boys Keita Mohamed, Plamedie Bizimana, David Kazeneza, Sean Mwesigwa, Gabriel Ndoba, Victor Ngabonziza, Calvin Mugisha, Mohamed Penge, Alvin Joshwa Muhirwa, Moise Nshizimpumpu, Ian Kabutura and Ariel Uwishema. Girls Raissa Ndaruhutse, Kayliah Gaju, Emelyne Iraguha, Stassin Corolle, Sarah Nduruma, Johanne Ndjana, Soumayah Nzitabakuze, Keittia Muhorakeye, Liliane Ingabire, Nicole Kwitonda, Janviere Byukusenge and Sylivie Dusabe.
