Dominican Republic Basketball Preselection Announced for FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
The Dominican Basketball Federation (Fedombal) has officially released a 36-player preselection roster ahead of the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying window. Head coach Néstor “Che” García will lead the squad, which is scheduled to face the United States on July 3 and Nicaragua on July 6 at the Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto in Santo Domingo. Both matches are set for 8:00 p.m. local time.
Who is on the Dominican National Team roster?
Fedombal president Rafael Uribe and general manager Junior Páez confirmed that the 36-man list includes a mix of veteran international players and emerging domestic talent. The final 12-man roster for the competition will be selected from this group:
- Guards/Wings: Andrés Feliz, Chris Duarte, Jean Montero, Lester Quiñones, Gelvis Solano, LJ Figueroa, Víctor Liz, and Richard Bautista.
- Frontcourt: Al Horford, Ángel Luis Delgado, Eloy Vargas, Karl Towns Cruz, and Yaxel Lendeborg.
- Additional Call-ups: Andersson García, Ángel Núñez, Anyeuri Castillo, Chris Mañón, David Jones, Diego Colón, Eusebio Suero, Isaac Taveras, Jassel Pérez, Jhery Matos, Joel Soriano, Jonathan Bello, Juan Guerrero, Juan Miguel Suero, Koby Brea, Luis David Montero, Luis Santos, Luismal Ferreiras, Omar Silverio, Rafael Castro, Randy Bautista, Rey Abad, and RJ Luis.
What is the team’s current standing in the qualifiers?
The Dominican Republic enters the third qualifying window with a 3-1 record, currently sharing the lead in Group A with the United States. According to FIBA official standings, both the Dominican Republic and the U.S. have already secured their advancement to the next phase of the tournament. Nicaragua remains in the group with a 0-4 record. The current structure of the Americas qualifiers involves 16 nations competing for seven available spots in the FIBA World Cup.
How does the training schedule look?
Preparations for the two home games are set to begin on June 22. Coach Néstor “Che” García, who has been instrumental in the team’s recent international performances, will oversee the training camp at the Virgilio Travieso Soto arena. The coaching staff faces the task of narrowing the 36-player pool down to the final 12-man active roster in the days leading up to the July 3 tip-off.
Key Tournament Facts
| Opponent | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| United States | July 3 | Palacio de los Deportes |
| Nicaragua | July 6 | Palacio de los Deportes |
Why this window is significant
While the Dominican Republic has already clinched a berth in the next round, the home games against the United States and Nicaragua offer a significant opportunity to finalize team chemistry and secure higher seeding for subsequent rounds. The inclusion of high-profile players like Al Horford and Karl-Anthony Towns highlights the federation’s push to solidify the national team’s depth against top-tier international competition.
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