This qualifying phase, made up of four groups of four nations, will be held from February 10 to 13, 2022. Belgium, 6th nation in the FIBA rankings, will therefore face the Americans, first in the FIBA rankings and triple reigning world champions, as well as the Russia (FIBA 12) and Puerto Rico (FIBA 17).
Belgium could not be included in the group of France and a maximum of two countries from the same continent could be in the same group.
The top three in each group will qualify for Australia. Except in the groups of Australia, the host country, and the United States, Olympic champions and already qualified but who are still competing in these qualifications, where the other two best nations will win their tickets for Sydney.
This trip to Washington will certainly be special for Emma Meesseman, she who wore the colors of the Mystics for seven seasons between 2013 and 2020, with an interlude in 2018. The 28-year-old Belgian even shone with the American franchise, winning the WNBA title in 2019 after being elected MVP of the Finals.
The Belgian Cats took 4th place in the first World Cup in their history, in 2018 in Tenerife. The French Valéry Demory, who replaced Philip Mestdagh in the wake of the Olympics, began his career at the head of the Cats with a defeat in Bosnia-Herzegovina (87-81) in the first qualifying match for Euro 2023. His team then reversed the trend against Germany (84-55).
