Villeneuve d’Ascq, France – The South Korean women’s national basketball team faced a challenging start to their 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign, suffering a decisive 76-49 defeat to Germany on Tuesday, March 12th. The loss marks a demanding beginning for coach Park Su-ho’s squad as they aim for a 17th consecutive appearance in the FIBA World Cup.
The game, played in Villeneuve d’Ascq, France, saw Germany seize control early, outscoring Korea 23-12 in the first quarter. Korea struggled to locate offensive rhythm throughout the contest, falling behind 40-20 at halftime. Despite a slightly improved third quarter where they were outscored by only 11 points, the team couldn’t close the gap, ultimately succumbing to a 27-point defeat.
This qualifying tournament features 24 nations competing across four host cities – Villeneuve d’Ascq, Wuhan (China), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Istanbul (Turkey) – with the goal of securing a spot in the 2026 FIBA World Cup, which will be held in Germany later this year. Korea is grouped with Colombia, the Philippines, Germany, France, and Nigeria in Villeneuve d’Ascq, facing a tough road to qualification. Only the top two teams from each group, excluding already-qualified Germany and reigning Afrobasket champions Nigeria, will advance to the tournament.
Germany, as the World Cup host nation, has already secured its place in the final tournament. Nigeria earned automatic qualification as the 2024 Afrobasket winners. The pressure is on for Korea to perform well against their remaining opponents to secure one of the coveted qualifying spots.
Korea’s shooting woes were a significant factor in the loss. The team connected on just 17 of 66 field goal attempts, a dismal 25.8% shooting percentage. They struggled particularly from beyond the arc, making only 5 of 33 three-point attempts. Rebounding also proved to be a major disadvantage, as Germany dominated the boards 55-33.
Captain and leading scorer Kang Lee-seul led Korea with 11 points, while Choi I-saem added 8 points and Park Ji-soo contributed 7 points and 5 rebounds. For Germany, Frida Buechner was a dominant force, posting 21 points and 9 rebounds. Leonie Fiebich also had a strong performance with 16 points and 5 rebounds.
Coach Park Su-ho acknowledged the team’s struggles in a post-game press conference, stating that the players appeared burdened by the pressure of the first game against a strong opponent. He noted that Korea’s normally reliable outside shooting failed to materialize, and they were unable to secure enough loose balls. “Our team’s strength is our outside shooting, but it didn’t work well today, and we couldn’t get loose balls, which led to a disappointing result,” Park said, according to reporting from Yonhap News Agency.
Kang Lee-seul echoed her coach’s sentiments, stating that while the team was able to create some open looks, they needed to improve their shooting percentage. “The process of creating shots was okay, and we were able to create chances. If we can improve our shooting percentage in the next game, we can play better,” she said. She also acknowledged that the team’s energy levels were not where they needed to be, a factor they will address in preparation for their next match.
The South Korean team will have a quick turnaround, facing Nigeria in their second qualifying game on Tuesday evening (local time). That game is scheduled for 10:00 PM KST (3:00 PM GMT). The match against Nigeria presents an immediate opportunity for Korea to rebound from this opening defeat and begin their climb towards World Cup qualification.
The defeat highlights the challenges facing the Korean team in this highly competitive qualifying tournament. Overcoming Germany’s size and strength proved difficult, and improving shooting efficiency and rebounding will be crucial for success in their remaining games. The team will need to quickly adjust and demonstrate resilience as they navigate the remaining matches in Villeneuve d’Ascq.
Korea (1-0) 49 (12-23, 8-17, 18-11, 11-25) 76 Germany (1-0)
songa@yna.co.kr
The next challenge for the Korean women’s basketball team is their match against Nigeria. Fans can follow updates on the FIBA website and through official team channels for the latest news and results.
