Belgium, the defending champions set to play Spain in the final of the European Women’s Basketball Championship this Sunday, have already secured a spot at the 2027 tournament.
Koen Umans, general manager of the Belgian Cats, stated in Piraeus on Saturday that the Belgian federation will host one of the four groups at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp in mid-June.
Alongside Belgium, the other co-organisers for the championship occurring from 16 to 27 June 2027 are Finland (Espoo), Sweden (Stockholm), and Lithuania (Vilnius), where the final phase will be held. All four host countries automatically qualify for the tournament.
“The plan is to increase the Sportpaleis capacity to 20,000 seats. We are experienced with hosting events like the Olympic qualifiers for Tokyo (in Ostend in February 2020) and Paris (in Antwerp in February 2024, with a record attendance of 13,700 against the USA),” Umans added.
The event’s budget ranges between 1.6 and 1.8 million euros. While some countries receive up to three-quarters of their funding from the government, Belgium expects 25 to 30% state support, with the remainder coming from the private sector and ticket sales. The aim is to reinvest profits back into the federation’s structures.
This will mark Belgium’s 16th European Championship appearance since 1950 and the sixth consecutive tournament with only 16 teams (compared to 24 for men).
Despite automatic qualification, the Belgian Cats will participate in a friendly qualifying campaign with Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden. The match dates will be determined in a draw in July.
