On Thursday, July 2, the Ukrainian men's national basketball team will play one of the most crucial matches of the current cycle. As part of the first stage of the qualification for the 2027 World Cup, the "blue and yellows" will face the national team of Georgia. The game will take place in Riga (Latvia) and will start at 18:30 Kyiv time.

Table Situation and Strategy

To advance to the next round of qualification, the Ukrainians need to finish in the top 3 of their group. Currently, the leader of Group A is Spain (8 points), which has already guaranteed its place in the next round. Ukraine and Georgia share 2nd-3rd places, having two wins and two losses each (6 points). Denmark (4 points) rounds out the quartet, having yet to secure a single victory.

Despite high chances of advancing, the game against Georgia has critical strategic importance. In the next round, points earned in matches between teams continuing the fight will be taken into account. Therefore, a victory over a direct competitor is a priority task, even if theoretically, advancement is possible with their own win if Denmark loses to Spain.

History of Confrontation

The national teams of Ukraine and Georgia have played five official matches within the framework of the EuroBasket finals and World Cup qualifications. The overall balance of encounters is in favor of the Ukrainian team.

After losing the debut official match at EuroBasket 2011, the Ukrainian team won three of the next four matches against Georgia. In particular, it is worth noting:

  • An important victory at EuroBasket 2017;
  • Exchanging home wins in the 2023 World Cup qualification;
  • A confident start in the current 2027 World Cup qualification, where the Ukrainians defeated the Georgians in Tbilisi with a score of 92:79.

Team Roster

The coaching staff has already determined the lineup for this match. 12 basketball players are on the roster. Notably, all of them represent foreign championships, which speaks to the high level of preparation and experience of the players.

The following players were left out of the main lineup for this match:

  • Guards Mykhailo Bublik and Yehor Suskin;
  • Big man Daniil Sipalo.

A live broadcast of the decisive match will be available on the official platforms of the Basketball Federation of Ukraine. This match will be the penultimate one for the Ukrainians in the current qualification stage, and its outcome will largely determine the team's further fate on the path to the World Championship.