- APR Basketball Club have withdrawn from the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL 2026).
- On Thursday, March 14, the Rwanda Basketball Federation confirmed their withdrawal just two weeks before they were set to compete in the Kalahari Conference in Pretoria from March 27 to April 5.
- They will be replaced by RSSB Tigers Basketball Club an intriguing twist since the Tigers are the club of Albert Odero, who has temporarily rejoined Nairobi City Thunder for the BAL tournament.
Rwanda’s national basketball champions, Armee Patriotique Rwandaise (APR), have officially pulled out of the upcoming sixth edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL 2026).
On Thursday, March 14, the Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) confirmed the withdrawal of the 17-time national champs, just two weeks before they were set to compete in the Kalahari Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, running from March 27 to April 5.
In a statement, FERWABA explained that the army-backed side decided to step aside from the continental showdown, adding that they would be replaced by the RSSSB Tigers Basketball Team.
ALSO READ: Ruthless APR hand Nairobi City Thunder loss on historic BAL debut
APR Rwanda withdraw from BAL 2026
“The Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) has officially designated RSSB Tigers Basketball Club to represent Rwanda in the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL) season 6, following the decision by the APR Basketball Club to step aside from competition,” part of the statement read.
According to FERWABA, the Tigers earned the spot after clinching the 2025 Rwanda Cup and the 2026 Super Cup.
“RSSB Tigers earned this opportunity following an outstanding domestic season, having secured both the 2025 Rwanda Cup and the 2026 Super Cup, demonstrating their competitive excellence and readiness to compete at the continental level,” they added.
FERWABA expressed its confidence in RSSB Tigers’ ability to participate with professionalism, determination, and pride in Africa’s premier club basketball competition.
While FERWABA’s official statement described it as a decision to “step aside,” reports over the past few days suggest the move stems from a political standoff involving Rwanda and the United States.
Sources indicate the withdrawal may be linked to Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
And that did not sit well with APR, since the BAL is run in partnership with the American NBA, the political tensions between the two nations reportedly created mounting pressure that made the army-owned club’s participation impossible.
ALSO READ: APR stuns Nairobi City Thunder with clutch three-pointer to clinch BAL playoff spot
APR were set for their third straight BAL appearance and were scheduled to face off against Kenyan giants Nairobi City Thunder, Tanzania’s Dar City, hosts Johannesburg Giants, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, and Libya’s Al Ahly Ly in the Kalahari Conference.
They were hoping to build on their historic third-place finish last season, having reached the BAL playoffs after finishing second in the Nile Conference with a 3–3 record.
But it was in Pretoria where they truly made their mark, becoming the first Rwandan team to grab a podium spot, crushing Egypt’s Al Ittihad Alexandria 123–90 to finish third.
APR are the second Rwandan team to make it to the semi-finals, following the Patriots, who finished fourth in the very first BAL season.
Without a doubt, this is a gut-wrenching move for APR, especially after they stacked their squad recently with some big names, including the American duo of Leonard Craig and Quinn Cook.
Cook, in particular, brings serious championship pedigree. Not only did he win his first NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2018, but the 6-foot-2 point guard also secured his second NBA ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Cook also clinched the 2015 NCAA title with Duke University.
The Lions had also kept the core of their squad from last season and even added two standout players: Teafale Lenard Jr. and Madut Akec. Teafale Jr. made waves during his 2025 BAL season with some record-breaking performances.
Odero set to face Tigers after APR’s BAL 2026 exit
Now that they are out, Rwanda will be pinning their hopes on their new reps, the RSSSB Tigers, who will be flying the flag high.
The Kalahari Conference just got even more interesting, Tigers will now face Nairobi City Thunder, who recently brought in star forward Albert Odero from the Tigers.
ALSO READ: Exclusive: Albert Odero explains his move from Nairobi City Thunder to Rwanda’s Tigers BBC
In a twist of fate, Thunder secured the player many call “Kenya Airways” just for the BAL group stage and potential playoff run, even though Odero is still officially a Tigers player, having joined them earlier this year.
So Odero going up against his own club? That’s definitely one to watch when the action tips off in South Africa in a fortnight.