Season 5 of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) will start in Morocco. It will also be played in Dakar, Kigali and Pretoria which will host the finals in June. The revelation was made by President Amadou Gallo Fall during a video conference.
“Morocco has always been a priority for us. We had AS Salé participate during the first two editions of the BAL. In 2020, we planned to play in Morocco but Covid19 changed our plans and forced us to postpone the deadline. It’s a big country with a strong sports culture. Obviously, there are sports infrastructures and a well-known basketball league. The FUS of Rabat took part in Season 4 and will have a second participation in a row in 2025. (Editor’s note: The Moroccan club stopped in the quarter-finals for its first participation). The goal is to expand the reach and see more countries take part in our competitions. In addition, Morocco is easy to access and has an airline that flies almost everywhere. So, there will be fewer difficulties in moving teams. We are counting on the support of the Moroccan public and private authorities.
In any case, we are very excited to perform in Rabat for the first time in the regular season. (Editor’s note: Rabat hosted the BAL Combines in January 2024). The feedback is positive for this competition. This momentum is created by the incredible activity off and on the field.”
A BREAK THEN A RETURN TO EGYPT
“It’s an overall positive outcome. We managed to have competitions that took place without any interruption at the Hassan Moustafa Indoor Sports Complex. It is a modern infrastructure which offers all the conveniences on an organizational level. We just wanted to take a break and see another market. It is clear that we will return to Egypt in the future. The NBA opened an office in Egypt in Cairo in 2023. And the vice president of the federation Mohamed Abdel-Motaleb Soliman was appointed director of NBA Egypt.”
VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE IN PRETORIA
“We had a very good experience in Pretoria during the Kalahari Conference last March. The SunBet Arena is a beautiful infrastructure. There was a strong atmosphere with a warm audience who came to every match. We know South Africa. Many of our initiatives began in this country. I can mention the three sold-out NBA Africa Game matches, without forgetting the Basketball Without Borders. The headquarters of NBA Africa is in South Africa where there is a craze for basketball. It is a large country economically. We will be able to count on the resources and infrastructure that we already master.”
COVER THE ENTIRE CONTINENT
“The objective is to cover the entire continent from North to South, from East to West. We are in the South with the organization of the 2025 Finals in Pretoria. Angola is a big country and we don’t hide it. We were there as part of our engagement initiatives on the continent. Deputy Commissioner and Director of Operations of the NBA, Mark Tatum was in Kenya in October. We opened an office in Nairobi and met with the President of the Republic William Ruto. I was in Angola last week with Clare Akamanzi (president of NBA Africa) to meet President João Lourenço. It was for us to pay tribute to this great country which dominated African men’s basketball with 11 titles. In addition, there is Petro de Luanda who is the BAL 2024 champion. It is the first team from sub-Saharan Africa to win this title. Petro even took part in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore. They have expressed a desire to organize in the future and it is a country we would have liked to go to. At this time, no decision has been finalized.”
RETURN TO KIGALI IN 2026
“In 2026, we must return to Kigali for the Finals. Now is an opportunity to see where to organize. I think there is interest from countries but they will have to meet certain conditions. We are open to all possibilities and opportunities.” DAKAR IN 2027? “There is no blockage for the organization of the Finals in Dakar. First, the opportunity must exist and that could be the case in 2027. Everything will depend on the conditions and the different desires. We are not fixed in our approach. The main thing is to have the fundamental elements, that is to say having the right infrastructure, enthusiasm and support from public and private authorities. Dakar is for us a reference in terms of public engagement and the quality of Dakar Arena. But it struggles in terms of support because at the end of the day we have to translate the enthusiasm and popular will that must manifest itself in the relationships that we had to establish with private companies. There are big advertisers and we offer an attractive product that speaks to young people and a large segment of the population. We continue the work started. On a sporting level, we are satisfied with what we see in Dakar, but there are other criteria and above all we must sustain these efforts. We are knocking on all doors and we hope that something will happen in terms of sponsorship and support from the State. It’s an event that attracts people, boosts the economy and tourism. Directly, we invest in the product and we believe that the support will come.”
MAKE THIS LEAGUE AN ECONOMIC LOCOMOTIVE
“I am very surrounded. We have big ambitions and the project is difficult, but we have a very capable and motivated team. I’m not the only one who does everything. We want to make this league an economic locomotive that will generate jobs, inspire communities, especially young people, and activate different industries around basketball. I’m motivated by the signs we see in four years. At the dawn of our fifth season, we are more motivated than ever. But it’s very early to say that I’m satisfied, we’re aiming high. We are grateful and appreciative of the support of the media, the public, the teams and the players who participate in creating this product which we want to show as a showcase and an example for the whole world.
