India drawn with Australia, Lebanon and Bahrain in FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025; check schedule & groups
(Courtesy : @BFI_Basketball/Twitter)
India will kick-off their FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 campaign against Lebanon.
The Indian U16 men’s basketball team have been paired with three-time defending champions Australia, Lebanon and Bahrain in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 group stages, which is scheduled from August 31 to September 7 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
India, whose best finish in the tournament history came in the 2022 edition when they finished fifth, will eye their first-ever semi-final appearance and also improve their ninth-place finish from 2023.
The group stages and tournament schedule were announced on Monday (August 11), with 16 teams from Asia’s best battling for basketball glory.
The biennial men’s U16 basketball championship, organised by FIBA Asia, is not just a continental tournament, it also serves as the qualifier for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, with the top four teams securing their place on the global stage.
The 16 participants in FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 are divided into four groups, each consisting of four teams. While reigning champions Australia are in Group A, China—three-time winners—are in Group C with 2015 champions South Korea, Malaysia and hosts Mongolia.
The Indian Cagers will begin their campaign on August 31 against Lebanon before the tough test against three-time reigning champions Australia — a match that could prove both daunting and defining for their tournament hopes.
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FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 teams
Group A: Australia (AUS), Lebanon (LBN), India (IND), Bahrain (BRN)
Group B: New Zealand (NZL), Philippines (PHI), Chinese Taipei (TPE), Indonesia (INA)
Group C: China (CHN), Korea (KOR), Malaysia (MAS), Mongolia (MGL)
Group D: Iran (IRI), Japan (JPN), Kazakhstan (KAZ), Saudi Arabia (KSA)
The tournament will be played in a round-robin format, with teams facing each other once. The top-ranked team from each group will directly advance to the quarter-finals, while the second and third-placed teams will move to a playoff round to play a knockout match for the remaining four quarter-final spots.
The semi-finals will be played on September 6 while the final will take place a day later.
When and where will FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 be held?
The tournament will take place from 31st August to 7th September in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
How many teams are competing in the tournament?
There are 16 teams competing at the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025, divided into four groups of four teams each.
Who will India face in their opening match?
India will start their FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 campaign against three-time reigning champions Australia on 1st September.
What are the groups of FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025?
Group A: Australia (AUS), Lebanon (LBN), India (IND), Bahrain (BRN)
Group B: New Zealand (NZL), Philippines (PHI), Chinese Taipei (TPE), Indonesia (INA)
Group C: China (CHN), Korea (KOR), Malaysia (MAS), Mongolia (MGL)
Group D: Iran (IRI), Japan (JPN), Kazakhstan (KAZ), Saudi Arabia (KSA)
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