The Opals pushed through injuries to reach the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Attention now turns to the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup and the all-important 2028 Olympic Games.
The Opals opened their campaign with a dominant 16-point win over Puerto Rico. Steph Talbot starred with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Alanna Smith showed why she is a WNBA Defensive Player of the Year contender, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a lower-leg injury and was ruled out for the rest of Australia’s World Cup campaign.
The Opals secured their place in the knockout stages with a 16-point win over Türkiye. New captain Ezi Magbegor led the way with 21 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Australia missed out on automatic qualification after a tight 12-point loss to Belgium in their final group-stage match. Even so, the Opals’ young stars shone brightest, with Isobel Borlase and Jade Melbourne both reaching double figures to build momentum ahead of the knockout qualification final against Italy.
The Opals found a way to battle through adversity against Italy, winning by just two points despite having only nine players available. Jade Melbourne was ruled out with illness, and Ezi Magbegor ruptured her ACL in the first quarter.
The Azzurre fought back hard in the final quarter, but Isobel Borlase’s 30 points, four rebounds and five assists proved critical in helping Australia progress to the quarterfinals.
The Opals’ campaign came to a close against Spain. Despite a spirited performance without Melbourne, Magbegor and Smith, Australia could not progress to the semi-finals, falling by 23 points. Steph Talbot, with 11 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and Chloe Bibby, with 13 points, showed the perseverance that defined the Opals’ campaign.
The Opals will now look ahead to the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, which will be hosted in the Philippines. Australia will enter the tournament as reigning 2025 champions, with added incentive to perform strongly because the Asia Cup begins the Opals’ qualification pathway for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
If the Opals finish in the top four at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, they will advance to the 2028 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
That tournament will take place in early 2028, where the Opals will face the best teams from Asia and Oceania as they compete for a place in the final 12 at the Olympic Games.
