• Home
• News

2 February 2026  5 min read

Patel named as head coach and tickets on sale as Great Britain Women return to Manchester for EuroBasket Qualifiers 

GB travel to Switzerland on 11 March then face Austria and Norway on Saturday 14 March and Tuesday 17 March respectively at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester. 

• Tickets are on sale for both home games now HERE – see more below. 

Patel steps up from assistant coach to lead the team following the decisions of head coach Stella Kaltsidou and general manager Jacob Lloyd to stand down from the programme. 

Patel takes the position with a depth of experience.  

He held numerous roles at Leicester Riders, including that of senior women’s head coach, between 2012 and 2024 and was assistant coach on the London Lions women’s team which won the WBBL title, Playoffs and Trophy and the EuroCup in 2023/24 under Kaltsidou. 

He has also been head coach of Wetterbygden Sparks in the Swedish Basketball League (2020-22), Manchester Basketball (2024) in the Super League Basketball Women and is currently assistant coach to Kaltsidou at Athinaikos WBC in Greece. 

Internationally, he has also served as the GB U18 Women’s and U20 Men’s head coach and the senior 3x3 head coach. 

Patel said: 

“To be given the chance to lead GB Women is a huge honour and something I don’t take lightly. In a period of uncertainty for the sport, I believe it’s vital that we stand together and make decisions that genuinely serve our players and the wider British basketball community. 

“My focus will always be on doing what is right for the players and for the long-term health of British basketball. Having worked my way through coaching roles on the women’s side, this opportunity feels like a natural progression, and one I’m ready for. 

“I’m also proud to be first to represent the British Asian community at this level and hope it opens doors for others in the future. I hope this appointment shows what’s possible.” 

Nigel Walker, Interim CEO of Basketball England, said:  

“Firstly, I’d like to thank Stella and Jacob, on behalf of British Basketball, for their service in guiding and supporting the GB Women’s team during their tenure. 

“I’d like to congratulate Krumesh for his appointment to the position of head coach. He knows the team and players well and comes with a track record of success and experience. 

“We acknowledge that the GB senior teams are facing a challenging period following the demise of the BBF, but together with our partners and fellow stakeholders in the British game, we are working to deliver the games and support the teams in the manner in which they deserve in the upcoming windows. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be supported equitably.” 

Following the liquidation of the British Basketball Federation (BBF) last month, the Manchester games, plus the away trip to Switzerland on 11 March – and two games that comprise the GB Men’s FIBA European World Cup Qualification window in February and March – will be delivered by a group of British basketball stakeholders.  

Basketball England, Basketballscotland and Basketball Wales, Super League Basketball (SLBM/SLBW), the Newcastle Eagles club and others have come together to support the teams. 

Aside from delivering the games, the Home Country Associations and FIBA have signed an MoU to deliver a number of the services previously provided by the BBF and there will be a consultation involving all key stakeholders, including UK Sport and Sport England, into the future governance of the game in Great Britain. The consultation process and a timetable for its execution will be issued imminently. 

Get tickets 

The March games see GB Women’s team return to their familiar home at the NBPC after numerous successes there in recent years.  

Individual match tickets and two-game pass are on sale now! 

Individual match tickets (£10 Adults, £5 Concession, £5 Children); two-game pass: (£15 Adults, £7 Concession, £7 Children). 

• Individual match tickets for GB v Austria (Saturday 14 March) and GB v Norway (Tuesday 17 March) can be purchased HERE

• Two-game pass option available to buy HERE

Follow GB Women on Fanbase