Al-Ittihad Tops Group B in Elite 16 Draw
Libya's Al-Ittihad was placed first in Group B of the African basketball Elite 16 qualifiers draw held in Abidjan.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Basketball
Al-Ittihad was placed at the top of Group B in the African basketball Elite 16 qualifiers draw, which was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The club qualified for the Elite 16 after topping its preliminary qualifiers group with a perfect record.
Why it matters
The draw sets the path for Al-Ittihad as it competes in the qualifiers for the seventh edition of the Basketball Africa League in 2027. Group B also includes Algeria's Staoueli, Guinea's Nabaya, and Gabon's Espoir.
The evidence is the official draw for the African basketball Elite 16 qualifiers, which placed Al-Ittihad first in Group B after three consecutive preliminary victories under coach Fouad Abou Chakra. The source does not indicate when Elite 16 games will be played or how the groups will progress.
The players
Al-Ittihad
A Libyan basketball club that topped Group B of the African basketball Elite 16 qualifiers after winning all three preliminary games.
Fouad Abou Chakra
The coach of Al-Ittihad, who led the club through three consecutive victories in the preliminary qualifiers.
The details
Group A features Ivory Coast's JCA Kings, Ghana's Spintex, Congo's Evionnier, and Mali's Stade Malien. Al-Ittihad secured its Elite 16 place by winning all three of its preliminary qualifier games.
Timeline
The Elite 16 draw was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with the qualifiers leading to the seventh edition of the Basketball Africa League in 2027.
Season Trajectory
The Elite 16 qualifiers form the pathway to the seventh edition of the Basketball Africa League in 2027. Al-Ittihad's perfect preliminary record positions it as a favorite within a group that includes Algeria, Guinea, and Gabon's teams.
Al-Ittihad enters the Elite 16 with a perfect preliminary record, which gives it a head start in its group. The group-stage schedule and results have not yet been published in the source.
The takeaway
A perfect preliminary record can set the tone for a qualifying run, but group placement still depends on results in the Elite 16 itself. Readers following African club basketball should watch for the group-stage schedule as it is announced.
Further reading
Explore more in our Basketball coverage for context on African club competitions.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Libya Observer.
