Both nations have been placed in Group D, alongside Angola and Uganda, with the Egyptian city of Alexandria hosting the opening six games of the group.
A total of six games will be played by each nation, with those who finish in the top three keeping their hopes alive of reaching the main tournament. Africa will have five representatives, but will Mali or Egypt be there?
Quick Picks
Our pick: Egypt to win
Value bet: Over/Under Total Points
Long shot: Egypt to win by 11+ points in Big Win Little Win
Betting Preview
Both teams have an identical record over the last five matches, winning three and losing twice. Both had a run of three successive wins, but will enter this contest on Friday after a loss.
Mali don't have an impressive recent 20-game stretch, which may give Egypt some confidence in front of a home crowd. They are 8-12 over that period, although they've clearly started to improve in recent games.
In truth, Egypt are only slightly better over the same period, having gone 10-10. Interestingly, they've had a five-game winning streak at some point, achieved last year. However, that was immediately followed by a five-game losing streak.
Mali and Egypt have played eight men's basketball H2H games since 1999, mostly in FIBA AfroBasket events. Egypt leads with six wins, while Mali has two. Egypt have won the last three, including one contest last year which ended 74-59 in their favour.
Betting Markets to Watch
When looking at the average points totals scored in previous head-to-head contests, Egypt averages 65.1 points per game (PPG), while Mali averages 60.1 PPG. Combined total points average 125.2 per game.
We think there is value worth exploring in the Over/Under total points line, depending on the line that has been set. In the last four games, a minimum of 125 points has been achieved in the last two meetings. If the number is around 125, we think the over could be worth exploring.
The overall average absolute margin per game is 9.5 points. However, when looking at Egypt's wins, this falls to 5.0 points per game. Therefore, we think the value is in the Egypt to win by 11+ points bet in the Big Win Little Win market, based on the recent results that have occurred.
Our Prediction
Check the latest basketball betting odds at Sportsbet.
We think it's likely that Egypt will win this match, based on the H2H history and the dominance they typically display.
Our long shot is the 11+ points, given the typical margin of victory. The game in 2025 was decided by 15 points.