Women's Basketball Team Aims for First World Cup Quarterfinal in 16 Years... Will There Be a Rivalry Showdown Against Japan?

2026 FIBA World Cup Kicks Off in Germany on September 4
South Korea Drawn in Group B with France, Nigeria, and Hungary
Second and Third Place Teams in Group B Face Group A Counterparts for Quarterfinal Playoff

The South Korean women's basketball team will compete for a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time in 16 years at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, which opens in Germany on September 4, 2026 (Korean time).

Led by captain Kang Iseul, the national team departed for Germany on August 30 in preparation for their bid to reach the quarterfinals.

Ranked 15th in the world, South Korea has been placed in Group B for this tournament, alongside second-ranked France, eighth-ranked Nigeria, and 19th-ranked Hungary. South Korea last made it to the quarterfinals at the 2010 tournament in the Czech Republic. At that time, the team defeated Brazil and Mali during the group stage, and went on to beat Japan in the second round robin (Round of 12) to advance to the quarterfinals, ultimately finishing eighth overall.

However, the team was eliminated in the group stage with three straight losses at both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments. In the 2022 competition, which featured 12 teams, South Korea exited with a group stage record of one win and four losses, again failing to reach the quarterfinals.

This year, 16 nations will compete and be divided into four groups to play the group stage. The top team from each group will advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the second and third place teams will face second and third place teams from other groups in playoff matches for a quarterfinal spot.

If South Korea manages to defeat Hungary, considered the weakest team in Group B, they could earn a chance to compete for a place in the quarterfinals through a playoff. South Korea will face Nigeria in their opening game on September 4, followed by France on September 6, and Hungary on September 7. Objectively, France is expected to take first place in the group, while South Korea will likely contest second or third place with Nigeria.

The second-place team from Group B will play the third-place team from Group A in the quarterfinal playoff, while the third-place team from Group B will face the second-place team from Group A for a place in the quarterfinals.

Group A consists of Spain, Japan, Germany, and Mali. In terms of world rankings, Spain is sixth, Japan is tenth, Germany is eleventh, and Mali is eighteenth, making Spain, Japan, and Germany the likely top contenders. If South Korea reaches the quarterfinal playoff, there is a possibility of a much-anticipated match against Japan.

The team assembled at the Jincheon National Training Center on July 15 to begin intensive training ahead of the World Cup. On August 13 and 14, they played two practice matches against Japan at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo to sharpen their game skills.

South Korea lost both of these exhibition games, but found promise during the second match. After a heavy 59-77 defeat in the first game on August 13, the team came close in the second, narrowly losing 77-78 on August 14. With just 0.2 seconds left, they allowed a heartbreaking buzzer-beating three-pointer. While this extended their losing streak against Japan to seven games, South Korea displayed a competitive performance against a top-tier team, gaining confidence ahead of the World Cup.

The lineup will also see some changes. Park Ji-hyun, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), joined the squad in Germany on September 1. Park was unable to participate in the games against Japan due to her club schedule. However, the absence of key player Park Jisu, who is unable to compete in this World Cup due to surgery, is expected to be a challenge for the team.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.