The 2025 Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) tips off in Cairo from Friday December 5–14, 2025 marking a landmark return for Nigerian giants First Bank Basketball Club after six years away from the continental stage.
The prestigious competition, hosted by Al Ahly Sporting Club, brings together 12 elite teams from across Africa.
The best twelve teams on the continent vying for supremacy in one of the continent’s fastest-growing women’s basketball tournaments.
This year’s edition also marks Cairo’s first time hosting since 2019.
Defending champions Ferroviario de Maputo headline the field, returning with expectations to contend once again after topping last year’s event.
Hosts Al Ahly, who finished second in 2024, automatically qualified and are among the leading favourites to lift the title on home soil, just as Sporting Alexandria did in 2023.
Rwanda’s APR also return, this time as dominant Zone 5 champions, following an unbeaten qualification run under coach Charles Mushumba.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), silver medallists in 2023, secured the final Zone 5 ticket after beating Burundi’s Les Hippos in a decisive playoff.
From Zone 2, Senegalese champions AS Ville de Dakar earned their spot with commanding victories in Praia, including a record-breaking 93-point win over Guinea’s Fireball.
In Zone 4, Cameroon’s FAP and DR Congo’s CNSS progressed after strong displays in the Kinshasa qualifiers.
The spotlight, however, falls heavily on Nigeria’s First Bank, the two-time champions (2003, 2009) who topped the Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan.
Their victory over hosts Friends Basketball Association sealed a long-awaited return to the Final Phase.
The Elephant Girls, bronze medallists in 2016, 2017 and 2018, are widely expected to challenge the top contenders.
Sporting Clube de Luanda (Angola) and Malawi’s Bravehearts complete the lineup after strong outings in Zone 6, with Sporting set to make their tournament debut.
2025 WBLA Participating Teams:
Al Ahly (EGY), Sporting Clube Luanda (ANG), CNSS (COD), FAP (CMR), KPA (KEN), Ferroviario Maputo (MOZ), REG (RWA), APR (RWA), AS Ville de Dakar (SEN), First Bank (NGR), Friends Basketball Association (CIV), Bravehearts (MLW).
The stage is set in Cairo for a thrilling showdown as Africa’s finest clubs compete for continental glory.
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