Basketball · FIBA Women’s World Cup 2026 · Opals
Opals finish sixth in Berlin. Absences hit early. The young group got a hard tournament — and that experience is the point.
FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, 4–13 September 2026, Berlin. Australia placed sixth under Sandy Brondello. USA beat France 97–79 in the final for a twelfth title and a fifth in a row. NBA preseason opened this morning Brisbane with the Canada Series.
Australia finished sixth at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin. That is a disappointing result for a program that arrived as Asia Cup champions. Desk colour, labelled: this is the desk’s read of a tournament shaped by absences that hit before tip-off and within the opening minutes of games — not a ranking, and not FIBA’s verdict. The young group absorbed a hard draw and left with minutes that matter toward Los Angeles 2028.
Asia Cup first — then Berlin
The Opals won the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 in Shenzhen (13–20 July), going 5–0 and beating Japan 88–79 in the final. Alex Fowler was named tournament MVP with 15 points in that title game. That win qualified Australia for this World Cup. Cayla George captained that Asia Cup side; she was already out of the World Cup squad with pregnancy before Berlin, and Isabelle Bourne replaced her.
Absences that arrived immediately
The depth chart kept shrinking. Sami Whitcomb, then skipper, withdrew on 26 August 2026 with knee inflammation; Miela Sowah was added. Ezi Magbegor took the captaincy, then ruptured her right ACL against Italy after four minutes on 9 September. Alanna Smith left with a lower-leg injury in the first quarter against Puerto Rico and was out for the tournament. Jade Melbourne was ill with flu (Basketball Australia): three minutes against Italy, then out. By the Spain quarterfinal, nine players were available.
Group and knockout — the board
Group stage: Australia beat Puerto Rico 70–54, beat Türkiye 87–71, and lost to Belgium 68–80.
On 9 September at Berlin Arena, Australia beat Italy 82–80. The Opals led 69–49 at three-quarter time. Izzy Borlase scored 30. Italy’s last layup rolled off.
On 10 September, Spain beat Australia 89–66. Steph Talbot had a game-high 23. Talbot later made FIBA’s All-Second Team.
Desk colour — young group, hard tournament
Desk colour, labelled: sixth is disappointing after the Asia Cup title. The absences arrived so quickly that the available group never got a settled rotation. First major tournament for Bourne, Aokuso, Bibby, Fowler, Reid and Wilson. Paris debutants in the wider program included Melbourne and Borlase. Brondello afterwards said Berlin gave clarity on pace, moving the ball and staying connected, and that defence and rim protection were hurt by Magbegor and Smith being absent; Australia shot 29.4% from three. Basketball Australia called it a young group, not the way anyone envisaged, and a learning curve toward LA28. That framing is the desk’s read: the experience is the point of this edition for Australia.
Europe’s run — France silver, Germany fourth, USA again
Final standings: 1 USA, 2 France, 3 Spain, 4 Germany, 5 Belgium, 6 Australia.
USA beat France 97–79 on 13 September for a twelfth World Cup title and a fifth in a row. Jackie Young had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Breanna Stewart scored 22 points and 10 rebounds and was named two-time tournament MVP.
France took silver — first final, best finish ever, and a first podium since third in 1953. They beat China 90–61 in the quarterfinal and hosts Germany 86–64 in the semi on 12 September (Gabby Williams 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals), then lost the final 79–97.
Desk colour, labelled and sourced: it was good to see Germany and France come along. France in particular carried a deep WNBA pipeline into Berlin. Named players tied to 2026 WNBA rosters include Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaün and Iliana Rupert at the Golden State Valkyries, and Marine Johannès, Pauline Astier and Marine Fauthoux at the New York Liberty — experience that likely helped a first final. That is the desk’s read from those roster listings; this page does not invent a league-wide headcount.
Spain took bronze: beat Australia 89–66 on 10 September, lost the semi to USA 66–76, then beat Germany 81–58 for third. Iyana Martín made the All-Star Five. Spain’s fourth medal in five editions (missed 2022; silver 2014, bronze 2010 and 2018).
Germany finished fourth — best ever as hosts under coach Olaf Lange. They beat EuroBasket holders Belgium 93–74 in the quarterfinal for a first semi, lost to France 64–86, then lost the bronze 58–81. Leonie Fiebich made the All-Star Five.
NBA preseason — Canada Series opened first
Separate story: NBA preseason opened Saturday 3 October 2026 with the 2026 NBA Canada Series presented by Bell, not with the Monday games. Miami Heat beat Toronto Raptors 129–105 at Videotron Centre, Quebec City. Tip was Saturday 3 Oct 7:00pm ET — Sunday 4 Oct 9:00am AEST in Brisbane — already played this morning. Attendance 18,474. Quarters: 41–23, 35–32, 19–25, 34–25.
Giannis Antetokounmpo wore another jersey for the first time after 13 Milwaukee seasons, following a summer trade to Miami, and logged his first NBA action since 15 March (hyperextended left knee and bone bruise). Line: 9 points (3-of-3 FG, 3-of-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 7 assists, in 14 first-half minutes. Starting group reported: Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo.
Still upcoming as of Sunday evening Brisbane: Utah Jazz at Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors at LA Clippers tip together Monday 5 October 9:00am AEST (Sunday 4 Oct 7:00pm ET). Jazz–Nuggets at CU Events Center, Boulder (local tip 5:00pm MDT). Warriors–Clippers in Honolulu at Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center (tip 1:00pm Hawaii time). Those games had not tipped when this page went up. Second Canada Series game: Raptors vs Clippers, Vancouver, Rogers Arena, Saturday 10 October, 6:30pm ET.
Sources: FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 (Berlin, 4–13 Sep; standings; final USA 97–79 France; Stewart MVP; All-Star / All-Second Teams); Basketball Australia (Opals absences, flu note on Melbourne, young-group / LA28 framing, Brondello quotes on pace / defence / 29.4% from three); FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 (Shenzhen, Australia 5–0, final 88–79 Japan, Fowler MVP); Golden State Valkyries official 2026 roster release (Williams, Rupert, Salaün); New York Liberty 2026 roster announcement via team release / OurSports Central (Johannès, Astier, Fauthoux); NBA / Canada Series (Heat 129–105 Raptors, Videotron Centre, attendance 18,474, Giannis line and starting group); NBA preseason schedule (Jazz–Nuggets Boulder; Warriors–Clippers Honolulu; Raptors–Clippers Vancouver 10 Oct). Desk colour labelled where it is framing, not a box-score fact.