| Road to BAL | |
| Organiser: | FIBA Africa |
| First: | 2021 |
| Confed: | FIBA Africa |
| Teams: | 26 (2025 season) |
| Champions: | West Division: Al Ahli Tripoli (1st title)East Division:  Nairobi City Thunder (1st title) |
| Most Champs: | Cape Town Tigers (2 titles) |
| Tv: | YouTube Courtside 1891 |
| Website: | Link |
| Current: | 2025 BAL qualification |
The Road to BAL, also known as the BAL Qualifying Tournaments, are the qualifying tournaments of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). While the main tournament is co-organised by FIBA and the NBA, the organization of the qualifiers is completely done by FIBA. The first qualifying rounds began on 16 October 2019 during the 2021 BAL qualification.
The qualifiers are geographically divided into the West and East Division, with three teams qualifying out of each division. Semi-finals and finals are played to determine the winners of the qualifying tournaments.
The first BAL qualifying game was played on October 16, 2019, in the qualification for the 2021 season. The City Oilers from Uganda defeated Dynamo 71–57 in Dar es Salaam.[1]
During the second season, the name "Road to BAL" was used for the first time, which would later become the event name.
The following years, the competition was held in different venues in several countries, but held the same format which led to six teams qualifying for the main tournament.
The national champions of each national federation (associated with FIBA Africa) can sign up for the BAL qualifiers.
In the inaugural edition, a total of 31 teams[2] from 31 countries participate in the qualifying tournaments to determine which six teams will play in the 2020 BAL regular season, along with six directly placed six teams.
The qualifying tournaments are divided into the first round and the Elite 16; teams are also divided into the East Division and the West Division. Out of each division, three teams advance to the main tournament.
The qualifying rounds are usually played in groups of four to six teams that play each other once in a venue in a pre-determined location. The following arenas have hosted at least one group in either the first round or elite 16:
| Ellis Park Arena | Johannesburg | 1 (2023) | ||
| Wembley Stadium | 2 (2021, 2022) | |||
| Palais des Sports de Treichville | Abidjan | 1 (2023) | ||
| Palais du 29 Juillet | Niamey | 1 (2023) | ||
| Palais des Sports Mahamasina | Antananarivo | 2 (2021, 2023) | ||
| Palais des Sports du 28 Septembre | Conakry | 1 (2022) | ||
| National Indoor Stadium | Dar es Salaam | 2 (2022–2024) | ||
| The Filbert Bayi Olympafrica Centre | Kibaha | 1 (2025) | ||
| Kigali Arena | Kigali | 1 (2021) | ||
| Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex | Yaoundé | 3 (2021–2023) | ||
| Palais des Sports Salamatou Maïga | Bamako | 1 (2021) | ||
| Palais des Sports de Cotonou | Cotonou | 1 (2021) | ||
| Palais des Sports de Libreville | Libreville | 1 (2021) | ||
| Tripoli Great Hall | Tripoli | 1 (2025) | ||
| Japoma Multisports Complex Gymnasium | Douala | 1 (2025) | ||
| City Sports Center | Harare | 1 (2025) |
| bgcolor=#cfc width=25px | Qualified for the Basketball Africa League proper |
| Year | Finals host | First place game | Third place game | class=unsortable rowspan="2" style="width:;" | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winners | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||||||
| 2021 | Kigali | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  Patriots BBC | 94–63 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | GNBC | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  Ferroviário de Maputo | 74–57 |  City Oilers | 16 | [3] [4] | |
| 2022 | Johannesburg | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Ferroviário da Beira | 91–65 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Cobra Sport | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Cape Town Tigers | 20–0 |  New Star | 10 | [5] | |
| 2023 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Cape Town Tigers | 81–71 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Ferroviário da Beira | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | City Oilers | 71–62 | Urunani | 10 | [6] [7] | ||
| 2024 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Cape Town Tigers | 70–68 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | City Oilers | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Dynamo | 79–78 | COSPN | 14 | [8] [9] | ||
| 2025 | Nairobi | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Nairobi City Thunder | 99–86 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  Kriol Star | Urunani | 77–75 | City Oilers | 14 | [10] [11] | ||
| Year | Finals host | First place game | Third place game | class=unsortable rowspan="2" style="width:;" | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winners | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||||||
| 2021 | Yaoundé | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | GS Pétroliers | 92–88 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  FAP | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  AS Police | 71–69 |  ABC Fighters | 13 | [12] [13] | |
| 2022 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | FAP | 81–34 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | SLAC | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Espoir Fukash | 93–87 (OT) | AS Police | 8 | [14] | ||
| 2023 | Abidjan | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | ABC Fighters | 81–70 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | SLAC | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Stade Malien | 62–59 |  Bangui Sporting Club | 10 | [15] | |
| 2024 | Yaoundé | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Bangui Sporting Club | 93–90 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" |  FUS Rabat | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Al Ahly Benghazi | 93–84 | FAP | 9 | [16] [17] | |
| 2025 | Abidjan | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Al Ahli Tripoli | 71–68 | bgcolor=#cfc style="text-align:left;" | Stade Malien | ABC Fighters | 92–53 | KSA | 12 | [18] | ||
As of November 2024, 13 different clubs from 12 countries have qualified for the BAL's main tournament. As of the 2023 season, Nigeria, Rwanda, Egypt, Senegal and Tunisia are given a bye for the qualifiers as they qualify directly for the BAL. In 2021, Morocco was also given an automatic spot.
The following is a list of clubs who have played in the BAL Qualifying Tournaments at any time since its formation in 2019, or will play in the upcoming season.
| Defunct | Defunct teams | |||||||
| 1st | Champions | |||||||
| 2nd | Runners-up | |||||||
| 3rd | Third place | |||||||
| SF | Semi-finalists | |||||||
| E16 | Elite 16 | |||||||
| R1 | First round | |||||||
| bgcolor=#FBCEB1 | W | Withdrew | ||||||
| Team | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | Total seasons | Times qualified | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | ||||||||
| bgcolor=gold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| – | bgcolor=#FBCEB1 | W | – | – | – | – | – | |
| R1 | – | – | R1 | – | 2 | – | ||
| R1 | E16 | – | – | – | 2 | – | ||
| – | – | R1 | R1 | R1 | 2 | – | ||
| – | bgcolor=#FBCEB1 | W | – | – | – | – | – | |
| USFA | – | – | – | – | W | – | – | |
| Abeilles | W | – | – | – | R1 | – | – | |
| – | R1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | ||
| – | – | 4th | – | – | 2 | – | ||
| Lamantins | – | – | – | R1 | – | 1 | – | |
| Tempo | – | – | W | – | – | – | – | |
 Djabal | – | – | R1 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Usoni | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Ushindzi | – | – | – | R1 | W | 1 | – | |
| ABC Fighters | – | E16 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| SOA | – | E16 | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| FAP | E16 | 4th | – | 4 | 1 | |||
| KSA | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
 Chaux Sport | – | – | – | – | E16 | 1 | – | |
| Mazembe | E16 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Espoir Fukash | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| Vita Club | – | – | W | – | – | – | – | |
| Virunga | – | – | – | R1 | – | 1 | – | |
| Prédio | – | W | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Kriol Star | – | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
 Manga BB | E16 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Moanda | – | – | – | – | E16 | 1 | – | |
| Espoir | – | – | R1 | R1 | – | 2 | – | |
| SLAC | R1 | E16 | – | 4 | 2 | |||
| Virgen María de África | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Nueva Era | – | – | E16 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Malabo Kings | – | W | – | – | – | – | – | |
 Braves of Customs | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Reformers of Prisons | – | – | W | – | – | 0 | – | |
| Spintex Knights | – | – | – | – | E16 | 1 | – | |
 Hawassa City | R1 | W | – | W | 1 | – | ||
| City Oilers | E16 | Q | 5 | 2 | ||||
| AS Police | 4th | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| Stade Malien | – | – | W | 2 | 2 | |||
| ABC (Army) | – | – | R1 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| JKT | E16 | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
| Kurasini Heat | – | E16 | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Pazi | – | – | – | E16 | – | 1 | – | |
| Cobra Sport | E16 | W | – | – | 2 | – | ||
| Fox | – | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
| Dynamo | R1 | – | – | – | 2 | – | ||
| New Star | – | 4th | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Urunani | – | – | 4th | – | TBD | 1 | – | |
| Jozi Nuggets | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Cape Town Tigers | – | – | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Costa do Sol | – | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
| Ferroviário de Maputo | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ferroviário da Beira | – | E16 | – | 3 | 2 | |||
| Roche-Bois Warriors | – | R1 | W | – | 1 | – | ||
 Lions | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
 Beau Vallon Heat | R1 | – | – | R1 | R1 | 2 | – | |
| Al Ahly Ly | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| Al Ahli Tripoli | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| Al-Nasr Benghazi | E16 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| AS Salé | – | W | E16 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| ASCUT | – | W | – | – | – | – | – | |
| COSPN | – | – | E16 | 4th | – | 2 | – | |
| GNBC | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | 1 | ||
 Brave Hearts | – | R1 | – | W | Q | 2 | – | |
| Nairobi City Thunder | – | – | – | – | Q | 1 | – | |
| KPA | E16 | – | E16 | R1 | – | 2 | – | |
| Ulinzi Warriors | – | E16 | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Matero Magic | – | E16 | E16 | – | Q | 2 | – | |
| Munali Suns | – | – | – | R1 | – | 1 | – | |
| UNZA Pacers | E16 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
 Nigelec | E16 | E16 | R1 | W | – | 3 | – | |
 Mighty Barrolle | – | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
| NPA Pythons | R1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Patriots | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | ||
| JBC | – | – | – | E16 | – | 1 | – | |
| Hounds | – | – | – | – | R1 | 1 | – | |
| Mercenaries | R1 | W | – | – | – | 1 | – | |
| Vixens-Foxes | – | – | W | – | – | 1 | – | |
| NBA Academy Africa | – | – | E16 | E16 | Q | 3 | – | |
As of 8 October 2022.
| Club | Years | 4th | 3rd | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAP | 3 | 17 | 13 | 4 | – | – | bgcolor=silver | 1 | 1 |
| ABC | 3 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 1 | – | – | 1 | |
| Patriots | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Ferroviário de Maputo | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | |
| AS Police | 2 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | – | – | |
| City Oilers | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | |
| SLAC | 3 | 14 | 6 | 8 | – | – | 2 | – | |
| GNBC | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| GS Pétroliers | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Stade Malien | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | |
| KPA | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Ferroviário da Beira | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Nigelec | 3 | 17 | 5 | 12 | – | – | – | – | |
| UNZA Pacers | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Cape Town Tigers | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | |
| Bangui Sporting Club | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | |
| Cobra Sport | 2 | 13 | 4 | 9 | – | – | 1 | – | |
| New Star | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | |
| Manga BB | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Espoir Fukash | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | – | 1 | – | – | |
| Al-Nasr Benghazi | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Mercenaries | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Elan Coton | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| JKT | 1 | 7 | 2 | 5 | – | – | – | – | |
| ASPAC | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| SOA | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Matero Magic | 3 | 8 | 1 | 7 | – | – | – | – | |
| Mazembe | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | – | – | – | – | |
| Nueva Era | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Tondema | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Jozi Nuggets | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Lions | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Dolphins | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Dynamo | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Braves of Customs | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Ulinzi Warriors | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| NPA Pythons | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Beau Vallon Heat | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| AS Salé | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| ABC | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Hawassa City | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Usoni | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Virgen María de África | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Roche-Bois Warriors | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Tondema | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Brave Hearts | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Djabal Iconi | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Espoir | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – |