Rollers, Gliders and Wombats set for duty in Thailand

Four Australian wheelchair basketball teams are bound for Bangkok this November, with World Championship and Commonwealth Games qualification up for grabs as Basketball Australia names the Rollers, Gliders and two Wombats teams for the upcoming international campaign.

The IWBF Asia Oceania Zone Championships (7–15 November) will see the Rollers and Gliders begin their push for qualification to the Ottawa 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, while the  Asia Oceania Commonwealth Games Qualifier (4-5 November) will feature the Wombats men’s and women’s teams competing for a place at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The Rollers will look to keep their AOZ Championship golden streak alive against China, Iran, Japan, Korea and host nation Thailand, while the Gliders will face familiar rivals China and Japan as they continue their pursuit of international success.

The AOZ Championships serve as the official regional qualification pathway for the 2026 IWBF World Championships. The top two men’s and women’s teams will qualify directly for Ottawa 2026, while the third and fourth-placed finishers will progress to the 2026 Repechage Tournaments for another opportunity to secure qualification.

Running alongside the AOZs, the Asia Oceania Commonwealth Qualifier will determine which nations secure a place in the 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The Wombats women will go head-to-head with India in a best-of-three series in an Oceania versus Asia qualifier, with details of the men’s draw still to be confirmed.

Under the format set by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and Commonwealth Sport, each IWBF Zone will host its own qualifier, with one slot per gender awarded to the highest-ranked eligible Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) from Asia and one to the highest-ranked CGA from Oceania.

For the Wombats, the event represents an exciting opportunity to return to the Commonwealth Games stage, where 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball will once again feature following its successful debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.