--- title: "Ukraine vs Greece in Riga: Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead the national team in the 2027 World Cup qualifier" description: "πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Ukraine will play against Greece in Riga on August 28! Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the Greek national team in the 2027 World Cup qualifier. Tickets are already on sale β€” let's support our basketball players! πŸ€πŸ”₯" date: 2026-08-05T12:58:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-vs-greece-in-riga-giannis-antetokounmpo-to-lead-the-national-team-in-the-2027-world-cup-qualifier tags: [ukraine, greece, janis-adetokumbo, fiba-world-cup-2027, riga] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine vs Greece in Riga: Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead the national team in the 2027 World Cup qualifier ![Greece national basketball team in blue EKO jerseys on the SUNEL Arena court in Riga before the WC 2027 qualifier match against Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/05/ukraina-protiv-gretsi-v-rige-yannis-adetokumbo-vozglavit-sbornuyu-v-matche-otbora-chm-2027/ukraina-protiv-gretsi-v-rige-yannis-adetokumbo-vozglavit-sbornuyu-v-matche-otbora-chm-2027-1.webp) The Greek national basketball team has presented a detailed preparation plan for the matches of the second stage of the 2027 World Cup qualification. The central event of this window will be the away game in Riga, where the Greeks will face the Ukrainian team. According to the press service of the Basketball Federation of Ukraine (BFU), the Greek national team will hold a series of friendly games before the key match. In Athens, the team will play two sparring matches: on August 22 against the Polish national team and on August 24 against Cyprus. ### Strongest lineup and participation of an NBA star It is expected that the Greek team will assemble its strongest lineup for these matches. The leader of the national team will be the NBA star and "Milwaukee Bucks" player Giannis Antetokounmpo. His participation will add significance to the upcoming encounters and increase fan interest in the qualification. After the official game against Ukraine on August 28, the Greeks will host the Spanish national team at home on August 31. This match will also be an important test for the team as part of the preparation for the world championship. ### Preparation of the Ukrainian national team The Ukrainian national team will begin preparations on August 14 in Latvia. The team has scheduled two friendly matches β€” against the University of Arizona team and the Latvian national team. These games will help players get into shape and adapt to the conditions of the matches in Riga. Earlier, it was reported that Yehor Sushkin and Maxim Hryshchuk would be eligible for the Ukrainian national team. Their participation will strengthen the team's lineup and add depth to the player rotation. ### Tickets for the match are already on sale Tickets for the crucial match Ukraine – Greece, which will take place on August 28 in Riga, are already on sale. The BFU calls on Ukrainian fans in Latvia to support the "blue and yellows" in this important qualifying battle. Fan support from the stands can become a decisive factor in the fight for a spot at the World Cup. The match in Riga will be not only a sporting event but also an opportunity for fans of both teams to demonstrate their loyalty and passion for basketball. It is expected that the atmosphere in the arena will be tense and emotional, which is characteristic of matches of this level.