All You Need To Know: Ireland v Luxembourg

Ireland play our opening FIBA EuroBasket 2029 Qualifier this evening. The Group A fixture against Luxembourg takes place in Luxembourg City's Centre National Sportif & Culturel d'Coqueat at 18:30 Irish time, with live coverage on the TG4 Player and app, as well as the FIBA YouTube Channel.

COMPETITION FORMAT

Ireland have been drawn in Group A in FIBA EuroBasket 2029 qualifying, with group games taking place across three windows, this week, February 2026 and July 2026. Michael Bree's side come into the contest against a familiar foe in Luxembourg as the second seed in the group behind North Macedonia, having won their last two games against tonight's opposition. North Macedonia will make the trip to Dublin on Sunday. 

Four teams - the three group winners and the best-ranked runners-up will advance to the Second Round where they will join eight teams from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers First Round.

Looking ahead to the campaign, Head Coach Michael Bree said: 

“I am really excited to start my tenure as Ireland head coach, my staff did a great job during the summer in the friendly games against Norway, which have provided ideal preparation for our FIBA EuroBasket 2029 Qualifiers next week. We have assembled a strong squad, with plenty experience and I’m really looking forward to working with the players, as we look to hit the ground running in our first game of the campaign away against Luxembourg”, Bree said.

WATCH

The game will be broadcast live on the TG4 Player here with tip-off at 1830.

SQUAD NEWS

American born centre Matt Zona is set to earn his first cap for Ireland in the fixture after earning his maiden call up from new head coach Michael Bree. Taiwo Badmus returns having missed the conclusion of our FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying campaign, as does Neal Quinn following his absence for our summer friendly series against Norway. 

OPPOSITION VIEW

Luxembourg's head coach Ken Diederich is praising the improvement of Ireland in the build up: "After a longer break, it is always difficult to find a rhythm. Ireland has become much better, we need to find our rhythm quickly and avoid an early deficit. Our ambition is to show competitive basketball in a crowded gym. While we need to follow the game plan, a little bit of luck on our shots is also necessary in order to compete with a strong opponent."

IRELAND MEN’S TEAM ROSTER

Jordan Blount (Flexachem KCYMS), Rapolas Buivydas (Belfast Star), Sean Jenkins (Griffith College Éanna), Taiwo Badmus (Tindastoll Korfubolti, Iceland) Sean Flood (unattached), John Carroll (EJ Sligo All-Stars), Matt Treacy (Snaefell Basketball, Iceland), Sam Alajiki (Hapoel Galil Elion, Israel), Max Amadasun (Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa Baloncesto, Spain), Matt Zona (Cheshire Phoenix), Neal Quinn (BCM Gravelines Dunkerque, France), Adrian O’Sullivan (Ballincollig)