The esports basketball tournament brings national teams, players, and fans to Mall of Qatar as the country builds momentum ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027.

Doha is hosting the eFIBA World Finals Qatar Season 4 at Mall of Qatar, with the two-day global esports basketball tournament having started on Friday.

The tournament brings together eight national teams competing in FIBA’s flagship esports basketball event. This year’s finalists are Qatar, Lebanon, Türkiye, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Algeria and the Philippines.

The group stage came to an end on Friday, with the Philippines topping Group A after a perfect 3-0 run, followed by France and Algeria. In Group B, Türkiye also finished unbeaten, with Lebanon placing second and the Dominican Republic third.

Hosts Qatar exited the tournament at the end of the group stage, alongside Germany, after facing tough matches against Lebanon, the Dominican Republic and Türkiye.

Despite missing out on the knockout rounds, Qatari player Qahtan Al-Qahtani said the team is focusing on the positives from its first tournament experience, adding that they are “doing our best” and using each match to gain experience.

Beyond the results, the event adds another layer to Qatar’s preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, while highlighting the growing crossover between basketball culture and esports in the country.

The competition continues with the knockout rounds, with the eFIBA Season 4 world champion set to be crowned on Saturday.