Belgium vs France

The decisive phase came in the third quarter. Belgium, buoyed by the home crowd, had trimmed the gap to four points early in the second half. France responded with a sustained scoring burst — fuelled by efficient outside shooting — that pushed the lead back to double figures. Belgium never got closer than six points thereafter.

France's 41% three-point shooting across the qualifying campaign (compared to Belgium's 34.5%) was the statistical backdrop to that stretch. When the Belgians sagged off the arc to protect the paint, France made them pay.

France's collective balance stood out. No single scorer dominated, but the visitors shared the load effectively — a hallmark of a side averaging 81.8 points per game in qualifying compared to Belgium's 72.3.

The French won the rebounding battle 38.3 to 33.5 on tournament averages, and their superior two-point field goal percentage (52.1% vs 48.3%) reflected better shot selection inside the arc.

For Belgium, the elimination is cruel after a spirited campaign. They needed a win to keep their Second Round hopes alive after Finland's 85-77 victory over Hungary earlier on Friday evening left Group G finely poised.

The raw possession stats tell only part of the story. France's tournament-wide averages (81.8 points, 38.3 rebounds, 17.8 assists per game) versus Belgium's (72.3, 33.5, 15.0) map closely onto this result. The difference was most pronounced beyond the arc — France shot 41% from three in the qualifying window, Belgium 34.5%.

Interestingly, France's free-throw percentage (66.7%) was actually lower than Belgium's (71.1%), but they created enough separation from the field to make that irrelevant.

France advance to the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers with their campaign firmly on track. Belgium are eliminated from First Round Group G, their qualification journey ended.

Finland's win over Hungary earlier on Friday — 85-77 in Helsinki — meant the Group G picture was already shifting before tip-off in Antwerp. With France through and Belgium out, only mathematical formalities remain in the group stage for the involved sides.

Belgium's next competitive outing will come in future FIBA windows. France will await their Second Round opponents, with the draw and schedule dependent on results across the remaining qualifying windows.

France did what they needed to do without fuss — professional, efficient, and never really threatened. Belgium fought hard on home soil but lacked the shooting consistency and second-chance production to overhaul a deeper French side. The 16-3 all-time head-to-head record is no coincidence; this France team has the tools to go deep in World Cup qualifying.