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 at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, which kicks off in Germany on September 4 (Korean Standard Time), aiming to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 16 years.

Led by captain Kang Iseul, the national squad departed for Germany on August 30 and has been making final preparations to advance to the quarterfinals.

Ranked 15th in the world, South Korea has been assigned to Group B along with world No. 2 France, No. 8 Nigeria, and No. 19 Hungary. South Korea last made it to the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup held in the Czech Republic. At that time, the team defeated Brazil and Mali in the group stage and then overcame Japan in the second round-robin, securing a spot in the top eight before finishing eighth overall in the tournament.

However, the team was eliminated in the group stage after losing all three games in both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments. At the 2022 tournament, where 12 teams competed, South Korea went 1-4 in group play and fell short of the quarterfinals.

This year's tournament features 16 countries, divided into four groups for the group stage. The top team in each group advances directly to the quarterfinals, while the second and third place teams compete in knockout games against teams ranked second and third in other groups for a chance to reach the quarterfinals.

If South Korea can defeat Hungary—considered the weakest team in Group B—they will have a chance to fight for a quarterfinals spot through the qualifying match. South Korea will play its first match against Nigeria on the 4th, followed by games against France on the 6th and Hungary on the 7th. Based on the overall strength of the teams, France is expected to finish first in the group, while South Korea and Nigeria are likely to compete for the second and third spots.

If South Korea places second in Group B, they will play the third-place team from Group A in the quarterfinal qualifier; if they finish third in Group B, they will face the second-place team from Group A in the same round.

Group A consists of Spain, Japan, Germany, and Mali. In terms of world rankings, Spain is No. 6, Japan is No. 10, Germany is No. 11, and Mali is No. 18, indicating a three-way rivalry among Spain, Japan, and Germany. If South Korea advances to a quarterfinal qualifying match, there is a strong possibility of facing Japan, turning it into a classic rivalry game.

The national team assembled at the Jincheon National Training Center on July 15 for intensive training to prepare for the World Cup. On August 13 and 14, South Korea played two friendly matches against Japan at Ariake Arena in Tokyo to boost their game readiness.

Although South Korea lost both friendlies against Japan, the team saw potential in the second game. After a heavy 59-77 defeat in the first match on the 13th, they narrowly lost 77-78 in the second friendly on the 14th, conceding a heartbreaking buzzer-beating three-pointer with just 0.2 seconds remaining. Their losing streak against Japan has now extended to seven games, but playing toe-to-toe with the powerhouse Japanese side gave them a confidence boost ahead of the World Cup.

There have also been changes to the squad. Park Ji-hyun, currently playing in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks, joined the team in Germany on September 1. Park was unable to participate in the friendlies in Japan due to her club commitments. However, the team will feel the absence of star player Park Ji-su, who is sidelined from the World Cup due to surgery.

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