Serbia and Slovenia basketball teams begin World Cup qualifying preparations

The Serbian national basketball team has gathered in Belgrade to begin preparations for the FIBA World Cup qualification window. Head coach Dušan Alimpijević emphasized that the current roster represents the best available talent, noting that several key players, including Bogdan Bogdanović and Vasilije Micić, are absent due to club restrictions or health issues.

Serbia is scheduled to play friendly matches against France before facing Iceland on August 28 in Belgrade and Italy on August 31 in Pesaro. Basketball Federation of Serbia President Nebojša Čović highlighted the importance of these matches and called for fan support, particularly for the upcoming games at the Belgrade Arena. Čović also urged clubs to include clauses in player contracts to ensure availability for the national team.

In Slovenia, national team coach Aleksander Sekulić has begun preparations at Rogla. The Slovenian squad faces a challenging path toward the 2027 World Cup following recent losses to Sweden and Estonia. The team is currently working to integrate available players as they prepare for upcoming matches against France and Hungary.