WC Qualifiers: Serbia and Croatia Finish First Round with Convincing Wins

Serbia and Croatia wrapped up the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers with convincing victories, while Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina secured qualification despite defeats. Austria, meanwhile, saw their campaign come to an end after a heavy road loss.

Serbia booked a 94:81 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in a clash that featured two teams already destined for the next phase of the competition. The Serbian side was powered by an outstanding performance from Nikola Jokić, who recorded a triple-double of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, while Nikola Jović stole the spotlight with a game-high 32 points.

With the win, Serbia completed the First Round with a 4-2 record, while Bosnia and Herzegovina also advanced to the second round despite the defeat, carrying a 2-4 record into the next stage.

Croatia continued their impressive qualifying campaign by cruising past Israel 103:75 on home court. Ivica Zubac led the way with 18 points, while Dario Šarić added 17 as Croatia controlled the game from start to finish.

The victory secured Croatia first place in their group with an excellent 5-1 record, sending them into the second round full of confidence.

Slovenia, on the other hand, suffered a disappointing 88:79 home defeat against Sweden. Despite the setback, the Slovenians did enough throughout the First Round to book their place in the next phase, finishing with a 3-3 overall record.

Austria's hopes of reaching the second round came to an end after a difficult trip to Latvia, where they were defeated 112:66. The heavy loss left Austria outside the qualification places, bringing their World Cup Qualifiers campaign to a close.

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, First Round, Round 6, Monday, 6 July 2026:

Group C:

SERBIA – Bosnia and Herzegovina 94:81 (27:16, 27:20, 21:24, 19:22)
Jović 32, Jokić 20 | Garza 16, Talić 12

Group E:

CROATIA – Israel 103:75 (25:12, 22:19, 27:20, 29:24)
Zubac 18, Šarić 17 | Madar 21, Ariel 17.

Group H:

Slovenia – SWEDEN 79:88 (24:30, 21:20, 13:19, 21:19)
Joksimović 22, Murić 11 | Larsson 31, Klintman 16.

Group F:

LATVIA – Austria 112:66 (22:22, 32:20, 30:9, 28:15)
Laksa 20, Zagars 15 | Kapic 19, Inoa 12.