The road to the 2027 FIBA Men's World Cup begins Friday after the November 2025 USA Men's World Cup Qualifying Team touch down in Managua, Nicaragua, ahead of the opening window of qualifying.

The Americans will face Nicaragua twice to open Group A, first on Friday, Nov. 28, at 8 p.m. ET in Managua and then in College Park, Georgia, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. Both games will stream live and free in the U.S. on Courtside 1891. Tickets for the game in College Park are on sale at usab.com/tickets.

The games will be the first ever between these nations.

USA Basketball arrived in Central America fresh off a five-day training camp in Miami, where the group laid the groundwork for Window 1. The roster is built with a mix of NBA veterans, NBA G League players and international professionals, combining for more than 1,300 NBA games of experience heading into competition.

The team will be led by Stephen Silas, who coached the Americans to bronze at the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup in August and previously steered the squad through portions of the 2025 AmeriCup Qualifying cycle. His staff includes Patrick Mutombo, USA newcomer Marlon Garnett and scout Clay Moser.

The American Squad

The 12-man roster features MarJon Beauchamp, Pedro Bradshaw, Garrison Brooks, Torrey Craig, Kessler Edwards, Kyle Guy, Nate Hinton, Brandon Knight, Jaden Shackelford, Javonte Smart, Jeremiah Tilmon and Ryan Woolridge.

Hinton is the only member of the team with prior World Cup Qualifying minutes, having competed in the final window of the 2023 cycle. He also suited up for the November 2024 AmeriCup Qualifying window.

Smart has the deepest USA Basketball resume of the group, most recently earning bronze at the 2025 AmeriCup. Smart has also appeared in multiple qualifying windows over the past year.

Craig, Edwards and Knight will be making their national team debuts, though all three have donned the red, white and blue in some capacity. Craig trained with the 2019 USA Select Team; Edwards was part of the 2019 U19 training camp; and Knight played in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit with the U.S. team.

What’s at Stake

This week's two-game window marks the first step in a long qualification journey that will stretch from November 2025 through March 2027.

Sixteen teams in the FIBA Americas zone are chasing just seven World Cup berths. Since the current qualifying format, dating back to the 2019 FIBA Men's World Cup, the U.S. has posted a 19-5 qualifying record and finished atop its group in both the 2019 and 2023 cycles. The U.S. has also won two of the past four World Cups (2010, 2014).

The 2027 FIBA Men's World Cup will feature 32 nations, with 80 teams worldwide competing for a spot in Doha, Qatar.

For more information on the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup, click here.

USA By the Numbers

• World Cup Qualifying Record: 19-5 (under current format)
• 2017-2019: 10-2
• 2021-2023: 9-3
• Stephen Silas All-Time Coaching Record: 8-2 (.800)
• Most Team Points in a World Cup Qualifying Game: 114 vs. Uruguay (9/14/18)
• Most Individual Points: 26, 3 times (Recently: John Jenkins vs. Colombia, 8/29/22)
• Most World Cup Qualifying Games Played: 10, David Stockton and Langston Galloway

Game 1 Information

• Opponent: Nicaragua
• When: Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m.ET
• Where: Managua, Nicaragua
• Watch: Courtside 1891
• Live Stats: Nicaragua vs. USA

Game 2 Information

• Opponent: Nicaragua
• When: Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. ET
• Where: College Park, GA
• Watch: Courtside 1891
• Live Stats: USA vs. Nicaragua
• Tickets: usab.com/tickets