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Serbia and regional teams prepare for basketball qualifiers

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2026-08-21 06:20 UTC → 2026-08-21 06:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In mid-August 2026, regional basketball preparations for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers intensified. Serbia’s head coach Dušan Alimpijević confirmed two crucial friendly matches against France to prepare for upcoming qualifiers against Iceland and Italy. The first friendly is was scheduled for August 20 at the Belgrade Arena, with a second match to follow in Orleans. Alimpijević noted that France possesses “one of the highest-quality rosters” featuring many NBA players. He highlighted the anticipated matchup between Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama as a “spectacle involving two of the world’s best players,” though he maintained the primary focus is testing the new roster and refining the team's system. Basketball Federation of Serbia President Nebojša Čović emphasized the importance of these matches and called for fan support, while also urging clubs to include contract clauses to ensure player availability for the national team. To prepare for these high-intensity matchups, the Serbian team has undergone comprehensive medical and functional testing. Slovenia continues its preparations in Ljubljana and at Rogla. While the squad has been bolstered by the arrival of experienced guard Aleksej Nikolić, key players Luka Dončić, Vlatko Čančar, and Stefan Joksimović are unavailable due to injuries or academic commitments, and Urban Kroflič is expected to miss matches. Coach Aleksander Sekulić stated the team intends to “compete with high intensity to secure necessary victories in the second group stage” during upcoming matches against Montenegro and qualifying fixtures against France on 27 August and Hungary on 30 August. Montenegro is also preparing for the second round of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Qatar. Following a first round performance of four wins and two losses, the team is set to face Georgia and Ukraine. Center Zoran Nikolić stated the team is in better form than during the previous window and aims to maintain momentum.

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