Australia to host 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup

Australia to host 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup

The FIBA Women’s World cup is coming back to Australia for the first time since 1994 after Basketball Australia (in conjunction with the NSW Government) won hosting rights overnight.

Played every four years, the World Cup is the biggest international women’s basketball competition in the world, bringing together 144 of the best players on the planet representing 12 basketball powerhouse nations for 38 games across the tournament.

The tournament will be held at Sydney Olympic Park over 10 days in September and October, 2022.

Being awarded hosting rights over Russia by the FIBA Central Board means that Australia will earn automatic entry into the 19th edition of the tournament.

“We are delighted that Sydney will host the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and that Australian basketball fans will get the opportunity to see some of the world’s best players compete for one of the most prestigious titles in our sport,” says Basketball Australia CEO, Jerril Rechter.

“The fact that Australia was selected to host this incredible competition is a testament to the outstanding calibre of basketball talent in our country, the tireless work of our players, coaches and administrators and the passion Australians have for the game.”

The Opals, currently number two in the FIBA World Rankings, have a history of strong World Cup performances. Australia is one of only four countries to win the Women’s Basketball World Cup title since the event’s inception in 1953, which they claimed in 2006. The Opals won Silver in the last World Cup and have medalled in every tournament since 1986, with the exception of 2010.

“In such an uncertain time, this announcement gives us hope and inspires our next generation to know that women’s sport and women’s basketball will not stand still, it will continue to grow and continue to forge pathways and opportunities in this country,” says Lauren Jackson, Head of Women’s Basketball at Basketball Australia.

FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Pre-Qualifying Tournaments will be held in each region in November 2021 to qualify for one of the four global FIBA Qualifying Tournaments in February 2022, which will ultimately determine the final 12 participating countries who’ll take the court in Sydney.