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Bringing together 16 of the world’s best wheelchair basketball teams, the men’s tournament at the Ottawa 2026 IWBF World Championships begins with four groups of four teams.
The teams will face one another from 9 to 13 September, with their final group positions determining the crossovers for the Round of 16.
After meeting the teams in Group A and Group B, it is time to take a closer look at Group C: Spain, Japan, Poland and Colombia.
Group C
Spain
Spain are back at the World Championships after being absent from the Dubai 2022 edition. Now, for Ottawa 2026, the Spanish arrive at the tournament with the credentials of their unprecedented continental title won at the 2025 European Championship – Division A, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Their goal is to secure an equally unprecedented World Championship medal, surpassing the country's best-ever performance, which was fourth place in Toronto 2014.
Road to Ottawa 2026
Leaving behind major forces from the European continent, such as Great Britain, Germany and Italy, Spain were crowned champions of the 2025 European Championship – Division A. With that, they secured a direct spot for the 2026 World Championships in Ottawa.
Players to watch
Manuel Lorenzo and Óscar Onrubia played leading roles in Spain’s European title-winning campaign, with both selected for the tournament’s All-Star Team. Lorenzo, a class 3.0 player, was Spain’s leading scorer with an average of 17.6 points per game. He delivered 20 points in the final against former champions Great Britain, shooting 64% from the field. Onrubia, a class 1.5 player, demonstrated his quality as a world-class low-pointer. He led Spain with 6.8 assists per game, including 10 assists in the final.
Japan
Always a team to watch from Asia Oceania, Japan also return to the World Championships after missing Dubai 2022. That absence ended a run of eight consecutive appearances, with Japan having competed at every edition from 1990 onwards.
Their best World Championship result is seventh place, achieved in Bruges in 1990 and Amsterdam in 2006.
Road to Ottawa 2026
At the 2025 Asia Oceania Championship, held in Bangkok, Japan finished just behind the champions Australia, taking second place in the tournament. With that, the Japanese secured the second and last direct spot from the zone to the Ottawa 2026 IWBF World Championships.
Player to watch
Selected for the All-Star Team at the 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championship, Renshi Chokai is one of Japan’s key players.
The class 2.5 athlete contributes across every area of the game and is a force at both ends of the court. He averaged 11.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game at the continental championship.
Poland
When you see Poland on the other side of the court, you can be sure you are not in for an easy match. In the two previous editions in which they competed in the World Championships – Birmingham 2010 and Hamburg 2018 – the Poles proved to be competitive in the big stage, finishing in sixth place on both occasions. With an experienced squad, Poland arrives at Ottawa 2026 for their third appearance in a World Championship, and with an opportunity of improving their best mark.
Road to Ottawa 2026
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Poland finished sixth at the 2025 IWBF European Championship – Division A, earning a place at the Repechage Tournament in Suphan Buri, Thailand, in June 2026. The Poles secured one of the final four places available at Ottawa 2026 by defeating hosts Thailand in their decisive qualification game.
Player to watch
At the age of 38, Mateusz Filipiski remains a player to be feared by his opponents. With him on court, Poland can count on a powerful offensive weapon, as the number 19 is a threat from anywhere on the floor. At the 2025 European Championship – Division A, Filipiski was the tournament's top scorer, with an average of 20.4 points per game, sustaining a shooting percentage of 48% from beyond the arc.
Colombia
Colombia have established themselves as a growing force in South American wheelchair basketball, challenging the continent’s traditional powers, Brazil and Argentina.
Bronze medallists at the 2025 Americas Cup and gold medallists at the 2026 Para South American Games, Colombia are preparing for only their second World Championship appearance.
Their previous appearance came in Incheon in 2014, where they finished in tenth place.
Road to Ottawa 2026
Overcoming Canada in the bronze medal match of the 2025 IWBF Men's Americas Cup, held in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, the Colombians secured the third and last direct spot from the zone to the Ottawa 2026 IWBF World Championships.
Player to watch
Having played for Spanish clubs for a decade, Jhon Hernandez has become the reference point for the Colombian national team in recent competitions. The class 3.5 athlete was selected for the All-Star team of the 2025 America's Cup, following eye-catching performances, including a triple-double against the United States (16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists), and a decisive appearance against Canada in the bronze medal match (17 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists).
Follow Men’s Group C
Find all Group C fixtures, team profiles, full rosters, results and live statistics on the official Ottawa 2026 competition page.
Follow the full Ottawa 2026 IWBF World Championships through live streaming, schedules, results, standings and tournament updates across the official IWBF website, YouTube channel and social media platforms.
