Opals steady at No. 2 in FIBA rankings

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Fresh off their gold medal at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, the Australian Opals have consolidated their position as the world’s No. 2 ranked team in the latest FIBA World Ranking Women, presented by Nike.

The update, released after recent Continental Cup competitions, confirmed Australia’s status as one of the global heavyweights heading into a busy stretch of international basketball.

Only the USA, who claimed the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, sit above the Opals.

China, the Asia Cup hosts and bronze medallists, also maintained their top-four ranking, while Belgium jumped into the top five after beating Spain in a thrilling FIBA Women’s EuroBasket final to claim back-to-back titles.

One of the biggest movers was Nigeria, who secured their fifth straight AfroBasket crown and returned to the top 10, climbing three spots to eighth, the only African nation to ever hold a top-10 place.

Brazil also made gains, moving into ninth after another AmeriCup finals appearance.

Elsewhere in the top 20, Italy rose to 14th after winning their first EuroBasket medal in 30 years, while Germany, Türkiye and Czechia each gained one place.

Mali surged six places to 18th after reaching the AfroBasket final, and Colombia rocketed 11 spots to 19th following a top-five AmeriCup finish.

The rankings shifts set the stage for a thrilling lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle, with the Opals firmly entrenched among the world’s elite.

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