FIBA Asia Cup 2025:
Second-seed Iran to learn fate in main draw
The Iranian national basketball team will learn about its group opponents at the FIBA Asia Cup – starting August 5 in Saudi Arabia – when the draw for the flagship continental tournament takes place in Jeddah today.
Three-time champion Iran will be placed in Pot 2 of the draw – based on the latest FIBA World Rankings on March 28 – and will avoid Lebanon, China, and the Philippines in the group phase of the 16-team event.
Host Saudi Arabia is in Pot 1 alongside two-time defending champion Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
Pot 3 features Jordan, South Korea, and the Chinese Taipei, with India, Qatar, Guam, and Iraq in Pot 4.
The 16 teams will be split into four groups, with the top teams of each progressing to the last eight, while the No. 2 and 3 teams will play in a Qualification round for to quarterfinals.
Iran finished the qualifiers with a 5-1 record to win Group E – thanks to back-to-back wins over India and Kazakhstan under new Greak head coach Sotirios Manolopoulos in the final window in February.
Team Melli’s lone defeat came against Qatar, and former Iran coach Hakan Demir, last November.