With the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup starting Friday, it is time to look back at what happened the last time the Opals battled the world at FIBA’s premier women’s tournament.
Hosted in Sydney, the tournament broke records, with 145,519 people turning out to support Australia on home soil. The Opals entered the tournament ranked as the third-best nation in the world and were drawn in a group alongside Canada, Serbia, France, Japan and Mali.
With the top four teams in each group progressing to the quarterfinals, the Opals topped their group in style with four wins and one loss. Their opening match ended in a narrow three-point loss to France, but there were plenty of positives to take into the games ahead. Bec Allen top-scored with 16 points, while Ezi Magbegor added nine points and six rebounds.
After a dominant 50-point victory over Mali and a 115-point performance against Serbia, the Opals surged towards a clash with contenders Canada. Australia found itself on the back foot early and was challenged again in the third quarter but responded strongly in the final term. A 24-15 fourth quarter was enough to see the Opals over the line by three points. Steph Talbot scored 11 points, while Magbegor delivered a player-of-the-match performance with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Opals booked their place in the quarterfinals against Belgium with a 17-point victory over Japan. With no room for error, Australia took care of business against Belgium, winning again by 17 points. Cayla George starred with 19 points, nine rebounds and two assists, supported by Marianna Tolo and Lauren Jackson, who scored 13 and 12 points respectively.
In the semi-finals, with a medal match already guaranteed, the Opals came up against China. In a see-sawing contest that showcased the class of both teams, Australia went down in devastating fashion by just two points. Valiant efforts from Talbot, who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Magbegor, who added 12 points and six rebounds, highlighted the Opals’ strength.
Locked into the bronze medal match and set for a rematch with Canada, the Opals needed to be at their best to secure a place on the podium. They delivered, showing their class in a dominant 30-point win. Lauren Jackson exploded with 30 points, while Talbot again impressed with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Across the tournament, Sami Whitcomb led the way with 11 points per game, while Talbot led the Opals with 6.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Talbot capped off a brilliant home tournament with All-Tournament First Team honours.
The 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup marked the third successive tournament in which the Opals finished on the podium. With the 2026 edition fast approaching, they will be hoping to go one better and claim their first world championship since 2006.
The Opals’ 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup campaign tips off on 4 September against Puerto Rico, with group matches to follow against Turkey and Belgium.
You can catch the Opals in action on Friday at 7:30 pm, with all matches to be broadcast live in Australia on ESPN, Disney+ and Kayo Sports.
Head to the Opals Event Hub for more.
