FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2025: Everything you need to know about basketball tournament

FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 to be held in Shenzhen from July 13 to 20.

The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 is fast approaching, bringing together women’s national teams across Asia to celebrate the best of basketball.

Here’s everything you need to know before the tournament tips off:

What is the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup?

It is the premier and most prestigious women’s basketball tournament for national teams in the various subzones of Asia and Oceania. The competition is held every two years and is organized by the FIBA Regional Office-Asia.

How many editions have been played?

This will mark the 31st edition. The tournament was first held in 1965 in Seoul, Korea. The competition has seen 11 host countries across the decades, with Japan hosting the event six times (1982, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2011).

Where is this edition being played?

China will be the host country for 2025, with Shenzhen in the Guangdong province as the host city. All the games will be staged at the Shenzhen Sports Center from July 13 to 20. This is the fourth time China will host the event, having previously done so in 1984, 2005, and 2015.

Which teams are participating, and how many times have they previously appeared?

Eight teams have qualified for Division A:

• Australia (4 previous appearances)
• China (24)
• Indonesia (12)
• Japan (28)
• Korea (30)
• Lebanon (5)
• New Zealand (4)
• Philippines (17)

Eight teams have qualified for Division B:

• Chinese Taipei (25)
• Cook Islands (Debut)
• India (20)
• Iran (3)
• Kazakhstan (12)
• Mongolia (1)
• Tahiti (Debut)
• Thailand (18)

How did the teams qualify?

Alongside host nation China, all teams that finished in the top seven of the 2023 edition have retained their spots in Division A. They are joined by Division B winners Indonesia, making their first appearance in Division A since the introduction of the two-division format.

Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei will miss the Asia Cup for the first time since 1984 after being relegated to Division B. On the other hand, Lebanon makes history by qualifying for Division A in back-to-back tournaments for the first time.

What’s at stake?

The winner of this year’s tournament will not only hoist the first-ever trophy dedicated to the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup but will also earn a direct spot in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Germany.

Teams that finish second through sixth will also qualify for the World Cup Qualifying Tournaments next year.

What is the competition format?

For Division A, the eight teams will be split into two groups of four teams. The first-placed team qualifies for the semifinals while the second-and third-placed teams play in a playoff round. The second-placed teams face off against the third-placed teams.

A knockout system will be used after the preliminary round, with the losing teams playing in a classification game. The eighth-placed Division A team at the end of the competition will be placed in Division B for the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.

The eight participating Division A teams are split into two groups:

• Group A: China, New Zealand, Korea, Indonesia.
• Group B: Japan, Australia, Philippines, Lebanon.

For Division B, the same competition format applies. However, the first-placed Division B team will be promoted to Division A for the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.

The eight participating Division B teams are split into two groups:

• Group A: Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, India, Tahiti.
• Group B: Iran, Thailand, Mongolia, Cook Islands.

Who are the defending champions?

China are the reigning champion, having won the title at the 2023 edition in Sydney. It was the country’s 12th gold medal, enabling China to draw with Korea as the most successful teams in the history of the competition.

FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 ambassadors

FIBA Hall of Famers Miao Lijie of China and Yuko Oga of Japan have been chosen to be the ambassadors of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, as FIBA went with two decorated legends which won gold not only in this tournament but in their respective countries as well – the reason why they’ve become so revered to this day.

When will the games be played?

The competition begins on 13 July and ends on 20 July.

Where can I watch the games?

All games will be streamed live on Courtside1891. Additional coverage through local broadcasters will be announced. Fans can also follow all the action and highlights on FIBA’s official platforms: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Which players will compete?

Each team’s final 12-player roster will be confirmed after the technical meeting held before the start of the competition. However, several teams have already started announcing their preliminary squads.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram