Ireland handed tough task in EuroBasket qualifiers

Ireland will take on France in the upcoming EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers following today's draw in Switzerland.

Israel and Latvia will also be coming to Dublin, with the tournament being hosted by four countries - Germany, Greece, Italy and Czechia - in 2025.

The French are ranked seventh in the world and will be favourites to top the group and qualify automatically for the tournament. The four best second place teams from the eight groups will also qualify, with Ireland, ranked 80th in the world, the bottom seeds behind Latvia (29) and Israel (49).

That will provide 12 teams, with the tournament hosts all qualifying automatically.

"The players and staff are already in full preparation mode for these FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, said Ireland head coach James Weldon after the draw.

"The success of our recent opponents the Czech Republic in FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 has given us a lot of confidence, especially how we competed against them in Prague.

"Our recent double wins over Austria in the National Basketball Arena helps us on this steep trajectory and facing France, Latvia and Israel in Dublin will be a formidable challenge, but it is where we want to be and a challenge we are really looking forward to with a full house behind us."

The qualifier are due to take place across three windows, starting this November, and continuing the same month next year before finishing in February 2025.