MFM and First Bank Face Four Rivals for African Women’s Basketball League Spots

Posted : 22 October 2026

Nigeria’s MFM Basketball Club and First Bank Basketball Club will compete against four West African teams for two places in the 2026 African Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) finals. The FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifying tournament is scheduled for November 2 to 9 in Monrovia, Liberia, with matches expected at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Indoor Gymnasium in Paynesville.

The Nigerian clubs will face Liberia’s Flames Basketball Club and D’Rockers Basketball Club, Côte d’Ivoire’s Friends of Basketball Association (FBA), and Benin Republic’s Energie Basketball Club of Cotonou. FBA enters the competition as the defending Zone 3 champion, while the two Liberian teams will hope to benefit from home support.

The top two teams will qualify for the continental finals in Cairo, Egypt, scheduled for December 11 to 19. The Monrovia tournament therefore represents a crucial opportunity for all six clubs to secure a place among Africa’s leading women’s basketball teams.

MFM will arrive with confidence after edging First Bank 66-64 in the final of the 2026 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League. The closely contested match at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos highlighted the narrow gap between the two Nigerian rivals.

First Bank, a nine-time national league champion, will be determined to respond after missing out on the domestic title. The club will now aim to turn that disappointment into motivation as it pursues qualification for the continental competition.

Both Nigerian teams initially faced uncertainty over their participation because the domestic league concluded late. However, FIBA Africa and the Liberia Basketball Association extended the registration deadline and adjusted the competition schedule following an intervention by FIBA Africa Zone 3 President, retired Colonel Sam Ahmedu.

The adjustment cleared the way for MFM and First Bank to enter the qualifiers, ensuring Nigeria will have two representatives in the race for the available places.

Liberian organisers have also stepped up preparations for the tournament. Calvin Diggs, president of Flames Basketball Club and Secretary-General of the Liberia Basketball Association, said the organising committee was working to deliver a smooth event that meets international standards.

FIBA Africa Zone 3 Secretary Joe Apu also expressed confidence in Liberia’s ability to host the competition, citing the experience gained from staging international basketball events.

With the qualification places limited to two, consistency will be vital throughout the tournament. MFM and First Bank must navigate a competitive field featuring the defending zonal champions, two home teams and an experienced Beninese side.

Both Nigerian clubs will be seeking to carry their domestic performances onto the continental stage and secure their places in Cairo, where the African Women’s Basketball League title will be contested in December.

MFM and First Bank Face Four Rivals for African Women’s Basketball League Spots

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