Australia finished unbeaten to win the Istanbul tournament, a 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifier, while Canada fell just short of qualifying.
The North American side, Canada, failed to qualify for the September tournament in Berlin, much to the relief of Turkey.
With its third loss to Australia, Canada saw its last chances slip away. In head-to-head play, it fell behind Japan and Turkey, who had both defeated it.
Turkey, playing in front of its home crowd, failed to secure a final victory. The Turkish team suffered a third loss.
However, wins by Japan and Australia guaranteed Turkey’s qualification, just ahead of Canada.
Australia remained the queen of this qualifying tournament. They suffered no defeats. The Asian champion’s toughest match was against the host country.
It was a hard-fought victory by just 3 points. Even on the final day, the Australians could only manage a 6-point win over Canada.
Nevertheless, their defensive solidity was a major asset in their collective unbeaten run. Final standings of the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament in Istanbul:
- Australia (10 pts)
- Hungary (8 pts)
- Turkey (7 pts)
- Japan (7 pts)
- Canada (7 pts)
- Argentina (6 pts)
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