Nairobi Set for Double Slam as Kenya Hosts Top FIBA Africa Basketball Tournaments.

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Nairobi Set for Double Slam as Kenya Hosts Top FIBA Africa Basketball Tournaments.

From left: Nairobi City Thunder head coach Bradley Ibs and deputy treasurer of the  Kenya Basketball Federation, Louise Araka address the media at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, ahead of the Basketball Africa League qualifiers

By Jeff Oyugi 

Nairobi - October 30, 2025.

Kenya is set to host two major continental basketball events this November, underscoring its rising influence on Africa's basketball scene. The Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) has confirmed that Nairobi will be the venue for both the Women's Basketball Africa League (BAL) Zone 5 Qualifiers and the men's Road to BAL Elite 16 tournament.

Loise Araka said the twin championships underscore FIBA Africa's confidence in Kenya's capability to host premier sporting events and the nation's rising influence in the game.

“We are very excited to host these two championships because this reaffirms that FIBA Africa has confidence in Kenya as a host and recognizes us as a growing basketball hub,”said Araka during the announcement in Nairobi.

The Women's Basketball Africa League (Group D, Zone 5) qualifiers will take place from November 9 to 15 at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium. The eight-team tournament will feature champions and runners-up from East Africa, including two Kenyan clubs that are Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Zetech University, the league winners and runners-up respectively.

Other participating teams include Uganda's Gladiators, two teams from Tanzania, two from Rwanda and one from Ethiopia, which will be making its debut in the Kenyan competition. The top two teams will advance to the continental finals set for Cairo, Egypt, in December.

The Road to BAL Elite 16 men's championship will follow from November 18 to 23 at the Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium. The event will feature elite teams from across the region, with Kenya's own Nairobi City Thunder, the two-time national league champions representing the country.

The Elite 16 series serves as a qualification pathway for the prestigious Basketball Africa League, a joint initiative between FIBA and the NBA.

“We are thrilled to see Nairobi City Thunder carry our flag. It's a great opportunity for Kenyans to watch high-stakes basketball for both men and women," Araka said, calling on fans and sponsors to rally behind the teams.

Hosting the two continental tournaments will, however, come at a steep cost. According to KBF, the combined budget stands at KSh 70 million, with KSh 29 million already raised. The federation faces a deficit of KSh 41 million and is appealing to corporate sponsors and government partners to step in.

Of the remaining amount, KSh 21 million is needed for the Road to BAL tournament and KSh 15 million for the women's championship. A significant portion of the costs goes to venue hire, which has sharply risen after the Kasarani rates doubled from KSh 100,000 to 250,000 per day this year.

Loise Araka also cited the need for facility upgrades.“We've reached out to the Ministry of Sports for support, especially for repairs at Nyayo and Kasarani. Last year, the ministry came through, and we're hopeful they'll support us again," she said.

She emphasized that Kenya urgently needs a modern indoor basketball arena similar to Kigali Arena in Rwanda or Dakar Arena in Senegal to host high-level tournaments in the future.

Nairobi City Thunder coach, Brad Ibs expressed confidence in his squad, saying the team is“committed to representing Kenya basketball at the highest level." He noted that the team is working hard to prepare for the tougher competition ahead.

“We're still the same gritty, team-oriented group. But we know the stakes are higher, and we're training hard to be ready," he said.

For Zetech University, this will be their debut appearance at an international championship. Team coach Lucy said the players are honored to represent Kenya and are focused on making an impression at home.

“It's our first time playing at this level, and we're ready. Playing in front of our home fans comes with pressure, but we want to make Kenya proud," Lucy said.

KBF has urged the public to attend the matches and support the national teams as Kenya positions itself as a central player in African basketball.

“This is a great opportunity for fans to experience top-level basketball right here at home," Araka said.“We invite partners and sponsors to join us on this journey basketball in Kenya is growing fast and the time to invest is now.”

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