The Basketball Africa League (BAL), in collaboration with FIBA, is planning to launch a new women’s club competition in the coming years.
Currently, in its fourth year as a men’s tournament, the BAL will crown its 2024 champion on June 1st after the playoffs involving eight teams in Kigali, Rwanda.
President of the Basketball Africa League, Amadou Gallo Fall confirmed that efforts to enhance the women’s game are already underway. “We’re contributing to the investment in growing the women’s game,” “The foundation is laid. Ultimately, that day will come.”
A significant challenge for Gallo Fall is expanding the female talent pool across the continent. “We need to support women’s participation and development at the grassroots level, working with FIBA,” he said. He noted the popularity of women’s basketball in countries such as Senegal, Mozambique, Egypt, Mali, and Nigeria, and expressed a desire to expand the game to more countries.
The BAL is committed to fostering the sport through its BAL4HER project, which promotes gender equity and celebrates women in the sports industry. As part of this initiative, the BAL will run a five-day camp for 20 top under-23 women’s players from 14 African countries during the playoffs in Rwanda. The camp aims to empower and develop young female athletes both on and off the court.
“This camp is a way to build capacity, make the industry accessible for women, and help them grow into the best basketball players they can be,” Gallo Fall said. “They will be mentored by elite coaches and learn about career opportunities in sports. This will contribute to building the world-class league we are striving to establish.”
The BAL, established in partnership with the NBA and FIBA, has expanded from 26 games in its first season in 2021 to 48 games this year. South Africa hosted a conference for the first time this season, joining those in Senegal and Egypt. Gallo Fall envisions the BAL becoming a top professional league rather than just a stepping stone to the NBA. “This is going to be one of the best leagues in the world in years to come,” he added. “We want to ensure young talent in Africa knows they have the option to be professional right here on the continent.”
While the BAL has received financial backing from the NBA and FIBA, Gallo Fall emphasized the importance of the league becoming self-sustaining. “We need to generate revenues and sustain the league,” he said. “We are investing heavily because we believe in the long-term potential, but ultimately, we aim to make it profitable.”
