How Can Victor Wembanyama, Les Bleus Qualify for FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027?

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama won't suit up for Les Bleus again until next summer. Before then, France's national team needs to secure a spot at the FIBA World Cup.

Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; France power forward Victor Wembanyama (32) and shooting guard Evan Fournier (10) celebrate after the game against Germany in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's work with Les Bleus is done for now. France's isn't.

After spending part of his offseason with the French National Team, the San Antonio Spurs star helped France defeat Slovenia and Sweden during the fourth qualifying window for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. The victories improved Les Bleus to 7-1 through eight qualifying games and kept them atop Group L with 15 points.

France has yet to officially qualify for the World Cup, set to run from Aug. 27-Sept. 12, 2027, in Qatar, but its path to doing so is fortunately straightforward.

Europe began the qualifying process with 32 national teams competing for 12 spots in the 32-team World Cup field. The top three teams from each First Round group advanced, cutting the European field from 32 to 24 teams. France was among them.

Those 24 teams were then divided into four six-team groups for the Second Round, with results from the First Round carrying over, and so on.

The top three finishers in each Second Round group will qualify for the World Cup. For France, that means finishing in Group L's top three after its four remaining games.

A graphic depicting the first and second rounds of the European qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 in Qatar. | Graphic via FIBA.com.

Those contests will be played across two more qualifying windows, the first spanning Nov. 23-Dec. 1 and the second from Feb. 22-March 2. Wembanyama will be amid his fourth NBA season with the Spurs during both and is not expected to suit up for France.

It's part of the reason he did all he could to help increase France's odds in Round 2.

“There are very few matches in an international career,” Wembanyama said, “so every single one truly counts. It's more powerful because it's worn over much shorter timeframes.”

Wembanyama averaged 20 points and 8.5 rebounds during France's two qualifying victories this summer, including 22 points and nine rebounds against a Luka Dončić-less Slovenia squad and 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against Sweden.

The 22-year-old, who was named France's captain prior to the window, plans to remain involved from San Antonio as Les Bleus attempt to secure their spot.

“We need to stay connected," Wembanyama said. "(I need to) follow my teammates’ results and stay in touch with the coach. That shouldn’t be too difficult.”

If France finishes third or better in Group L, it will earn one of Europe's 12 berths at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. That's when Wembanyama plans to suit up next.

The fifth and sixth windows of Round 2 of the European qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 are set for November 2026 and February 2027, respectively.