The road to the next FIBA Basketball World Cups begins in 2026 as both the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s and Men’s teams enter crucial qualifying tournaments. The Women’s World Cup is set for September in Berlin, while the men’s edition will be held in August 2027 in Qatar. In the months leading to those events, the national teams face a packed schedule, with the Gilas Women heading to France for their qualifiers in March and the Gilas Men continuing their Asian qualifying campaign with key home games at Mall of Asia Arena. 

Gilas Women set for World Cup qualifiers in France 

Gilas Women will compete in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Lyon-Villeurbanne from March 11 to 17, where they are grouped with France, Nigeria, Colombia, South Korea, and Germany. All these teams are ranked inside the world’s top 20, making the path to qualification a major challenge. 

Despite the tough field, the Filipinas have shown they can compete with elite opponents. Their comeback from a 22-point deficit against Japan in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asian Cup underscored the team’s resilience and ability to stay in the fight. 

Gilas Men continue World Cup qualifying campaign 

The Gilas Men are currently in the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers, coming off a strong opening win against Guam last December. The competition heats up this year, starting with high-stakes home games against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1, both held at the MOA Arena. 

The road to Qatar 2027 remains packed throughout 2026. After the Manila games, Gilas will fly out for Window 3 in late June and early July to wrap up the first round. If they advance as expected, the journey continues immediately with the Second-Round windows scheduled for August and November 2026, followed by the final qualifying games in March 2027. 

Manila to host another Asian qualifier 

Aside from the Gilas game, the Philippines hosted the match between China and Chinese Taipei on March 1 at the MOA Arena. The doubleheader set up a full day of international basketball in Manila and gives the national team an opportunity to scout possible opponents. 

Busy year ahead for Gilas 

With the Women’s qualifiers set for March and the Men’s campaign running through multiple windows, 2026 shapes up to be a decisive year as both teams push for a place on the world stage.