The Gliders have fallen short in a heartbreaking two-point defeat to Japan in last night's IWBF Asia Oceania Championship semi-final in Bangkok.
Australia will now face host nation Thailand in the third-place game today at 3:30pm AEDT.
Attention will then shift to the repechage pathway, where a second opportunity to qualify for the 2026 IWBF World Championships in Canada awaits.
Details for the repechage tournament, including location and dates, will be confirmed, with competition expected early next year. The top four teams from the repechage will secure their place at the World Championships.
Head Coach Craig Campbell said the journey is far from finished.
“This is a detour, not the end of the road. We were right there today, and I am incredibly proud of the effort the team put out on the floor,” he said.
“We have grown across the tournament and the fight we showed against a strong Japanese side reflects the character of this group.
“We will reset, recover and be ready for Thailand, and then it’s all eyes on the repechage. There is still a World Championship spot on the line, and we’re not done fighting for it.”
