Rwandan center Bella Murekatete was listed as part of the all-tournament team of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup pre-qualifiers, which concluded in Kigali on Sunday, August 25. Unfortunately, this recognition was the sole highlight for Rwanda, as their journey in the qualifiers ended in a narrow 65-68 semifinal loss to Senegal on Saturday.
Murekatete is the only Rwandan in the prestigious team, featuring Hungary’s Reka Lelik and Virag Kiss, Senegal’s rising star Ndioma Kane, and Great Britain’s Holly Winterburn.
Competing in her first major tournament on home soil after a collegiate career at Washington State University, Murekatete quickly won the hearts of Rwandans. Standing at 1.94 meters (6 feet 4 inches), Murekatete showcased versatility throughout the tournament.
Averaging 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game, she played a key role in Rwanda’s four games.
Hungary clinched the title by defeating Senegal 63-47 in the final, securing their spot in the next FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, set for March 2026. From early in the tournament, it was evident that Hungary was the team to beat.
Despite an initial loss to Senegal (63-61), Hungary responded with dominant victories over the Philippines (97-60), Brazil (87-66), Great Britain (82-59), and finally a rematch victory over Senegal in the championship game.
Virag Kiss led Hungary with 17 points off the bench, while Veronika Kanyasi and Bernadett Hatar each contributed 10 points. This strong performance solidified Hungary’s prospects of competing in the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
Rwanda, having won against Lebanon and Argentina, fell short against Great Britain in their final group game and then narrowly lost to Senegal in the semifinals (68-65). Like Rwanda, Great Britain ended the tournament with a 2-2 record.
FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament Rwanda Standings:
1. Hungary
2. Senegal
3. Great Britain
4. Rwanda
5. Argentina
6. Brazil
7. Lebanon
8. Philippines
The qualifying tournaments will feature 24 teams, determined by their results in the four FIBA Women’s Continental Cups in 2025. The top four teams from the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025, six from the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, six from the FIBA AmeriCup 2025, and eight from the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 will compete in these tournaments. The host nation and the winners of each Women’s Continental Cup will automatically qualify for the World Cup.
