Overcoming Early Setbacks

Japan (ranked 11th by FIBA) defeated Argentina (ranked 27th) by a score of 83-39 in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup final qualifying match held at the Turkcell Basketball Development Centre in Istanbul, Türkiye on March 17th. This victory, combined with other results in their group, secured their place in the tournament.

Aika Hirashita led the Japanese team with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Mai Yamamoto contributed 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists. Japan finished the final preliminary round with a 2-3 record.

Dominant Performance Against Argentina

The game against Argentina was largely one-sided. Japan took a commanding 23-7 lead in the first quarter and extended their advantage to 40-16 by halftime. They continued to dominate, leading 69-27 at the finish of the third quarter. The team utilized all 12 players in the win.

A Challenging Qualifying Path

Japan faced a challenging group in the final qualifying round, competing against Argentina, Australia (ranked 2nd by FIBA), Canada (ranked 7th by FIBA), Hungary (ranked 20th by FIBA), and Türkiye (ranked 16th by FIBA). With Australia already qualified, Japan needed to finish in the top three to advance.

Their start to the tournament was rocky, suffering consecutive losses to Hungary, Australia, and Türkiye. If they lose one more time, they will fail to advance to the World Cup finals.

A win against Canada provided a much-needed boost, and the subsequent victory over Argentina ultimately proved crucial.

Favorable Results Seal Qualification

Despite finishing with a 2-3 record, Japan qualified for the World Cup finals due to the results of other games. Canada and Türkiye also finished with 2-3 records, but Japan advanced based on the winner-wins principle. They ranked fourth after Australia (5 wins), Hungary (3 wins, 2 losses), and Türkiye.

Japan ranked fourth ahead of Canada on the winner-wins principle.

Looking Ahead

Japan’s journey to the World Cup was not without its challenges. In order to show competitiveness on the final stage, reorganization will be necessary for the remaining time. The team will need to regroup and prepare for the competition ahead.