Mozambique's Basketball Federation is at risk of suspension from FIBA Africa competitions, including the BAL and WBLA, for failing to pay the $15,000 participation fee for the AfroBasket Women. The debt could derail national basketball progress unless it is resolved before the November FIBA Africa meeting.
Last Updated on
October 12, 2025
Mozambique's Basketball Federation has come under fire for its debt to FIBA Africa after participating in the women's AfroBasket in Abidjan in August. According to FIBA-Africa, they still owe $15,000 in unpaid fees that covered food and accommodation costs while in Abidjan.
This unresolved debt now hangs over the federation as they await their fate in the upcoming FIBA-Africa meeting in November. They could face suspension or settle their debt in the meantime before any decisions are finalised.
So, what are the consequences for a federation after such a suspension from FIBA-Africa and its competitions? According to FIBA Africa's Mozambican-born president, Mr Anibal Manave, they are pretty severe and extremely consequential.
The penalties include banning Mozambican clubs from continental competitions such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and WBLA. This would mean that the WBLA champions, Ferroviário de Maputo, will not defend their title in Egypt later this December.
Ferroviario da Beira will also miss the chance to compete in the Road to BAL qualifiers this season. It gets worse: under FIBA-Africa rules, the national teams would be prohibited from participating in official international tournaments.
Consequently, basketball development in Mozambique would suffer a major setback that could take years to recover from fully. This could also drive away investors and affect the salaries of those working in Mozambique's basketball ecosystem across all levels. There are still measures to take before the November meeting to get ahead of this, such as settling the bill or negotiating terms.
If the federation reaches an agreement with FIBA-Africa, it could avoid suspension and restore its competitive standing. For now, Mozambique's basketball community waits anxiously as this financial cloud threatens to undo years of steady progress.
[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]
