DOHA : Qatar have turned their attention to Japan after suffering an 87-56 defeat by China, with the teams set to meet in Tokyo on Monday in the fourth window of the second round of Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027.
Qatar were beaten by China at Al Janoub Arena on Thursday, falling behind 23-13 in the opening quarter. They responded in the second period but still trailed 47-36 at halftime before China pulled away in the second half.
Mike Lewis led Qatar with 14 points, while China’s Hansen Yang was the game’s top scorer with 15.
The defeat came in Qatar’s first match of the second round, with the team now preparing for another demanding test against Japan at Toyota Arena Tokyo.
Qatar advanced from the opening phase with four wins and two defeats to finish second in Group D. Those results carried over into Group F, where Qatar are competing alongside China, Japan, Lebanon, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Japan also enter Monday’s match with a 4-2 record, making the encounter important in the battle for qualification positions in a group FIBA has described as highly competitive.
Qatar have already secured a place at the 2027 World Cup as hosts, but their participation in the qualifiers provides valuable competitive experience ahead of the tournament.
The Japan game will also give Qatar’s coaching staff an opportunity to assess the squad against a team with extensive Asian and international experience.
Qatar will return home to face South Korea on Nov. 26 before hosting Japan three days later. They will then travel to China on Feb. 26, 2027, before completing the second round against South Korea on March 1.
The team will also compete at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as part of its preparations for next year’s World Cup in Doha.
