Rehashing the question: Is this set to become the dominant region in the female global game?

SYDNEY (Australia) - We asked the question back in 2021 ahead of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Amman.

And with the Women’s Asia Cup heading down under for the first time ever, we’re asking it again: Is this set to become the most dominant region in the female global game?

The last time we checked in two years ago, Europe had three teams among the top six spots of the FIBA World Ranking for Women, presented by NIKE, the Americas had two teams with USA at the top, and the Australia Opals were the lone representatives from Asia/Oceania at third. We mentioned it could be that in future years, Australia, China and Japan ensure Asia/Oceania gain the crown as the most dominant Continent.

It might not even take too long for that to become a reality.

China were knocking on the door of the "Top 6" squads back in 2021 and they barged through that door with force as they emphatically made their way to the Final of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup late last year. After a run that saw them defeat hosts Australia in a packed crowd at the Semi-Finals, China planted themselves firmly into the second spot of the latest update of the ranking.

Sydney has been kind to China as their only two trips to the Women’s World Cup Finals were in this city, so they’ll be hoping that some of that positive energy rubs off as they look to win their first Women’s Asia Cup since 2011.

That might not be an easy task. In the end, China will most likely have to go through the 5-time consecutive defending champions Japan who are expected to return with a similar lineup as to the one that beat China 78-73 in Amman two years ago. Japan are now at 9th, which is one spot down from where they were ahead of Women’s Asia Cup 2021, but in the end, they are still the recent silver medalists of the Tokyo Olympics and - again - have won all Women’s Asia Cups over the past decade.

To summarize, at two of the biggest stage (championship games) of the biggest competition in women’s basketball (Women’s Basketball World Cup and Olympics) in the recent years, the two teams that have been able to overcome the playing field and challenge USA have been Japan and China. Not a bad way to represent Asia/Oceania.

And, of course, then there are the Opals.

Australia unfortunately ran into USA in the Quarter-Finals of the Tokyo Olympics. Then, they battled to the very end against China in the Women’s World Cup Semi-Finals. Both times they fell short of their title-winning goals, but their road did end at the hands of the top two ranked teams in the FIBA World Ranking for Women. They are still currently ranked third with many young up-and-coming talents ready to step up.

Those three alone form a formidable foundation of national teams that supports the claim that Asia/Oceania are aiming to be the most dominant region in the female global game.

Then you also have Korea, who have moved up from 19th since pre-Women’s Asia Cup 2021 to now being on the verge of cracking the top 10 at 12th. With Park Jisu looking to return to action in Sydney, don’t count them out of the running.

Among the other teams playing in the Women’s Asia Cup this year, they’ve all made jumps from their ranking prior to the competition in 2021. New Zealand went up from 36 to 29. Chinese Taipei went up from 34 to 33. The Philippines leaped from 51 to 42. Lebanon also made a climb from 53 to 44.

Maybe Asia/Oceania are still not quite there yet as the most dominant region in the world of women’s basketball. Europe has more depth. The Americas still have the most dominant team in the world. But the race continues to get closer and closer each time we raise the question. At least that has been the case so far over these past two years.

Who knows where we will stand by the time we ask again ahead of the Women’s Asia Cup 2025?

FIBA