BENGALURU (India) - Just like that, the FIBA Women's Basketball League Asia is about to enter its third edition.
From its humble beginnings in 2024, the prestigious continental competition featuring champion ball clubs is set to play once more, further signifying FIBA's efforts of promoting and developing the women's game in Asia.
And in case you would want to educate yourself more about this league and what to expect for the 2026 tournament. we got you covered, as we answer the frequently asked questions newer fans ask.
What is the FIBA WBL Asia?
The WBL was first established in the Americas and that inspired the idea of bringing the league to this part of the world. The WBL Asia was given the green light during the first Asia Board meeting of the 2023-2027 cycle.
Set annually, the WBL Asia aligns with FIBA’s strategic priority for the current 4-year working cycle,“Women in Basketball." This will play a key role in advancing the development of women’s basketball across Asia.
When and where will the 2026 edition take place?
The WBL Asia 2026 will be held in the city of Bengaluru in India from October 20 to 25, with all games set to be held at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium which has played hosts to various FIBA events in the past.
This will be the first WBL Asia to be held outside of China after the inaugural and second editions were held in the cities of Chengdu and Dongguan, respectively, with Chinese teams winning on both occasions.
Which teams are playing?
The contest's first-ever champions were Sichuan Yuanda Meile and the WCBA titlists are all set for a comeback this year, bannering a 6-team field made up of pioneering members and debuting clubs.
Aside from the Pandas, Chinese Taipei's Cathay Life are returning for another gig, becoming the first team to appear in WBL Asia for a total of 3 times - that, after ruling the WSBL at home for yet another time.
These two founding teams will be surrounded by newcomers, namely the Denso Iris of Japan, the Cheongju KB Stars of Korea, Akari Sparks of the Philippines, and Indian powerhouse - and host squad - Indian Railways.
It will also be the first time that teams from the Philippines and India will be competing in WBL Asia, and they shall add more excitement and challenge to the usuals in China, Japan, Korea, and Chinese Taipei.
What is the format?
The teams have been divided into 2 groups according to the FIBA World Ranking for Women, presented by NIKE. The Group Phase, to be held on October 20-22, will be played in a single round-robin format.
The top 2 teams from each group will compete in the knockout crossover Semi-Finals, while the teams that will finish 3rd in their groups will play in a Classification 5-6. These games will be played on October 24.
Winners of the Semi-Finals will play for the championship in the 1-game Final set October 25. The losing sides, on the other hand, will compete in the Third-Place Game, which will be held just before the title bout.
Where can we watch the games?
All games will be streamed live via FIBA's official YouTube channel, which you can find here. For the complete tournament schedule, click here. Please visit the News section as well for all things WBL Asia 2026.
FIBA