FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup


The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, also known as the Basketball World Cup for Women or simply the FIBA Women's World Cup, is an international basketball tournament for women's national teams held quadrennially. It was created by the International Basketball Federation. Its inaugural game was in 1953 in Chile, three years after the first men's World Championship. For most of its early history, it was not held in the same year as the men's championship, and was not granted a consistent quadrennial cycle until 1967. After the 1983 event, FIBA changed the scheduling so that the women's tournament would be held in even-numbered non-Olympic years, a change that had come to the men's tournament in 1970.
Formerly known as the FIBA World Championship for Women, the name changed shortly after its 2014 edition. From 1986 through 2014, the tournament was held in the same year as the men's FIBA Basketball World Cup, though in different countries. After the 2014 editions of both championships, the men's event was rescheduled on a new four-year cycle to avoid conflict with the men's FIFA World Cup, but the Women's World Cup remains on the same four-year cycle, with editions held in the same years as the men's FIFA World Cup and the final tournament played a few months after it. The next FIBA Women's World Cup will be held in 2022 in Australia. The number of participating women's FIBA teams has remained at 16, unlike the men's event, which has been expanded to 24 and further to 32 in 2019.

History

Only four nations have won titles in the history of the Women's World Cup. The first tournament was held in 1953 in Chile, with participation of ten national teams. Despite of losing to Brazil in the final round, the United States won inaugural title. The next tournament which was held in 1957 in Brazil, marked beginning of long-time rivalry between US team and Soviet team who debuted at the World Championship. The first official match between these teams was played on last day of the tournament, it was also decisive match of the championship. Soviet players led after first half, but in the second half Americans managed to achieve victory and to won second World title.
The third World Championship was held in 1959 in Moscow, Soviet Union. Due to international political tensions caused by the Cold War, United States and its allies didn't participate at this tournament, thus only 8 Eastern Bloc countries were able to play at the championship. In the absence of US team, Soviet team won their maiden World title while Bulgaria took silver medals and Czechosovakia finished third. But at the next World Championship which was held in 1964 in Peru, all these Eastern European teams also occupied whole podium – Soviet Union won second title in row, Czechosovakia won silver medals, Bulgaria took bronze while United States finished only at fourth place. This tournament marked the beginning of the era of dominance of the Soviet Union in world women's basketball which lasted for next two decades. Under leadership of head coach Lidiya Alekseyeva, Soviet team won three next World Championships held in 1967, 1971 and 1975. The vast majority of medals at these tournaments were won by Eastern European and East Asian teams while United States even failed to qualify into final round. In general, from 1959 to 1975 Soviet team won record five titles in a row by winning all their 40 matches with margin of 10 points and more. Therefore, it was not surprising when Soviet Union won inaugural women's Olympic tournament which was held in 1976 in Montreal, Canada. Despite of losing to Japan and Soviet Union, United States managed to finish second and capture silver medals while Bulgaria took Olympic bronze.
Unfortunately, the next world women's basketball major tournaments were clouded by series of political boycottes caused by the Cold War. Firstly, Soviet Union and four other Eastern Bloc countries withdrew from next World Championships which was held in 1979 in South Korea. Despite of losing to hosts, United States won all other matches and captured gold medals thanks to better head-to-head point difference among Top 3 teams. It was third World title for US team and the first since 1957. On next year United States boycotted 1980 Olympic tournament which was held in Moscow, Soviet Union. In their absence, Soviet team captured second Olympic title relatively easy by winning all 6 matches while Bulgaria and Yugoslavia took silver and bronze medals respectively. Therefore, the next World Championship which was held in 1983 in Brazil became the first international major competition for seven years with participation of all world's top teams. Soviet Union captured their sixth World title by winning all 10 matches but this victory was most difficult one. In the final group round, Soviet team won match against United States with margin of only one point after losing 40–49 at the end of first half. Later in the final match between these two teams Soviets lost first half with score of 37–40, but also managed to achieve victory with margin of only two points. Both those matches proved that advantage of Soviet team became not such overwhelming like it was before. China won their first World Championship medal after victory over South Korea in a bronze medal match. Next year Soviet Union and Hungary boycotted 1984 Olympic tournament which was held in Los Angeles, United States thus allowing hosts to win their maiden Olympic title. South Korea and China took silver and bronze Olympic medals respectively.
Fortunately, all world's top teams were able to take part at the next World Championship which was held in 1986 in Soviet Union. One month before start of tournament, United States won basketball tournament at the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow by beating Soviet Union with great margin of 23 points. Both reigning Olympic Champions and World Champions won all their group and semifinal matches, and then met in the final match in Moscow. In this final, US team once again proved own superiority by winning with margin of 20 points thus ending remarkable winning streak of Soviet team at the World Championships which lasted 56 consecutive matches. This victory became turning point which marked beginning of the era of dominance of United States in world women's basketball. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, US team defended their Olympic title by beating Yugoslavia in the final match while Soviet team surprisingly failed to reach final and unexpectively finished only at third place for first time in their history. At the next World Championship which was held in 1990 in Malaysia, Soviet Union lost in the second group round to Czechosovakia and Yugoslavia and finished only at fifth place. It was first and only time when Soviet team failed to reach podium at the international competition where they participated. Like two years ago, United States and Yugoslavia met in the final match, and US team achieved victory again by winning sixth World title. Two years later United States went to 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in a status of obvious favorites - especially after Yugoslavian team was banned from competition because of United Nations sanctions. However, the former Soviet players who completed for Unified Team as a result of Soviet Union's dissolution in December 1991, managed to achieve surprising success after shocking victory over United States in semifinals and victory over China in the final match. US team finished at the disappointing third place. There was last participation of Soviet basketball at the international competitions and true "true swan song" of Soviet team which ceased to exist after that.
The 12th World Championship was held in Australia in 1994, after the dissolution of Soviet Union, SFR Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Slovakia became only newly-formed national team who managed to qualify to this World Championship. In such situation, United States aimed to return at first position. However, they surprisingly lost semifinal match to Brazil and once again finished only at the third place. In the final match, Brazil beat China thus breaking US-Soviet duopoly on World Championship which lasted for 37 years. Two years later United States took revenge at the home 1996 Olympic tournament at Atlanta by beating Brazil in the final match with margin of 24 points. This victory marked beginning of US dominance at the Olympic Games – from 1996 to 2016, they won six Olympic titles in a row with remarkable winning streak of 49 consecutive matches at Olympic tournaments.
The 13th World Championship took place in 1998 in Germany. Russian team participated at this tournament for first time after dissolution of Soviet Union. In the second group round, they lost to United States with great margin of 36 points but then managed to reach final where met with US team again. In the final match, United States faced with much stronger resistance – Russia led with margin of 9 points after first half, but in the second half US team managed to reach advantage and achieved final victory. Australia won World Championship bronze medals for first time in their history. The similar story took place at the next World Championship which took place in 2002 in China – United States defeated Russian team at the preliminary round with margin of 34 points but later they faced with stronger resistance from Russian side in the final. Despite of this, US team won final match with margin of 5 points and captured seventh World title while Australia took bronze medals for second time in a row. At the next 2006 World Championship in Brazil, Russian team lost to United States at the preliminary round and then lost two more matches at the group stage. But after group stage, Russia achieved remarkable victory by beating US team in semifinals. It was only first defeat of United States for 12 years at the either Olympic Games or World Championships. They finished only at third place after beating hosts in a bronze medal match. After this success, Russia was unable to show the same resistance to Australian team who won final match with margin of 17 points. Therefore, Australia became only fourth national team to win either Olympic or World title in the history of women's basketball.
The next World Championship took place in 2010 in Czech Republic. Many people waited for another match between United States and Russia in playoffs. Both teams won all their group matches but then Russia suffered shocking defeat to Belarus in the quarterfinals. The defending champions, Australia also surprisingly lost quarterfinal match to hosts - Czech team. In the semifinals, Czech Republic beat Belarus in overtime and reach final match for the first time after dissolution of Czechoslovakia. However, in the final match United States looked stronger and managed to return World title after victory with margin of 20 points. Spain won World Championship medals for first time in their history after beating Belarus in a bronze medal match. The next two World Championships were held without participation of Russian team who failed to qualify to these tournaments. In 2014 US team repeated their success by beating Spain in the final match. The home team, Turkey managed to reach semifinals for first time in history but failed to win medals after losing to Australia in a bronze medal match. At the next 2018 World Championship in Spain, United States captured gold again after victory over Australia in a final match. Therefore, US team won seven of last nine World Championships and captured their 10th World title. The home team, Spain reached podium for third time in a row after victory over Belgium in a bronze medal match.

Results

Summaries

Note: From 1953 through 1979 the medalists were decided in a league format instead of in a knockout tournament; results of the final round matches are shown.

Medal table

Participating nations

Most successful players

Boldface denotes active basketball players and highest medal count among all players per type.

Multiple gold medalists

Multiple medalists

The table shows those who have won at least 4 medals in total at the World Cups.
RankPlayerCountryFromToGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Sue Bird200220184–15
2Raisa Mikhaylova 1957196731–4
2Nina Poznanskaya1957196731–4
4Diana Taurasi200620183–14
5Milena Jindrová19641975–224