The Georgian national basketball team faces two crucial matches in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Coached by Aleksandar Džikić, our team will go head-to-head with Denmark—first in Copenhagen, and then in Tbilisi. The matches are scheduled for February 27 and March 2, respectively.
Our national team started the World Cup qualification stage with two defeats. Georgia lost at home to Ukraine on November 27, and fell to Spain in an away match on November 30. Alongside them, Denmark is also in this four-team group. Georgia will wrap up both games against Denmark during this international window on February 27 and March 2. Following two consecutive losses, Džikić’s squad needs victories to secure advancement from the group.
As a reminder, the World Cup qualifiers are divided into two group stages. In the first stage, 32 national teams are split into 8 groups, with the top 3 teams from each group—24 teams in total—advancing to the next phase. Georgia is in Group A. Should they qualify, they will be grouped with the top 3 teams from Group B, which currently features Greece, Portugal, Montenegro, and Romania. In the second group stage, teams will not play against the opponents they already faced in the first stage; however, the results from those head-to-head matches will carry over.
Preparation Stages and Roster
The national team’s preparation for the Denmark matches is split into two phases. In the first phase, only Georgian Superleague players will gather in Tbilisi. Under the supervision of Aleksandar Džikić and his coaching staff, they will compete for a spot in the main training camp scheduled to start on February 23 in Denmark. The Tbilisi camp kicks off on February 17, featuring 15 Superleague players:
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Giorgi Ochkhikidze (Batumi)
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Luka Maziashvili (CSU-Caucasus)
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Luka Zakradze (Rashi)
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Sandro Sanadze (Margveti)
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Giorgi Kobakhidze (Margveti)
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Nikoloz Gaprindashvili (CSU-Caucasus)
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Levan Gogichaishvili (VSA)
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Kakha Jintcharadze (Kutaisi)
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Giorgi Sulaberidze (Kutaisi)
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Aleksandre Phevadze (TSU)
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Anzor Nadiradze (VSA)
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Luka Kalatozishvili (VSA)
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Giorgi Turdziladze (TSU)
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Roman Chintcharauli (Margveti)
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Villy Isiani (Rustavi)
Final Roster and Schedule
From these domestic-league players, the coaching staff will select the top 5, who will travel to Denmark on February 22. On the same day, our foreign-based legionnaires (excluding Tornike Shengelia) will arrive in Copenhagen: Rati Andronikashvili, Mate Khatiashvili, Duda Sanadze, Beka Burjanadze, Giorgi Korsantia, Aleksandre Merkviladze, and Tsotne Tsartsidze.
The status of Marcus Reed remains uncertain. If Trabzonspor is eliminated from the Cup, Reed will travel to Tbilisi; otherwise, the newly naturalized American player will join the national team directly in Denmark. Meanwhile, Shengelia is scheduled to play a EuroLeague match for Barcelona on February 25. Immediately after the game, he will fly to Copenhagen to join the national team on February 26, the day before the match against Denmark.
Consequently, 13 players (8 legionnaires and 5 Superleague players) will undergo final preparations in Copenhagen from February 23 to 26, where they will be joined by the team captain. On February 26, Aleksandar Džikić will name his final 12-man roster for the upcoming game.
The match will take place on February 27 at the Farum Arena in Copenhagen, at 18:30 local time (21:30 Tbilisi time).
