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The Turkish national women’s basketball team closed its 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign with a 89-74 loss to Hungary, but still secured a place in the tournament after finishing third in Group C.
The result marked the team’s fifth and final game in the qualifiers. Despite the defeat, Türkiye had already guaranteed qualification earlier in the day following Japan’s win over Argentina, which confirmed the group standings.
The team ended the qualifiers with two wins and three losses, enough to finish in the top four and advance to the World Cup.
The game, played at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center, began evenly with both teams matching each other offensively in the opening quarter, which ended 25-25.
Hungary gained control in the second quarter by scoring consistently in the paint and building a double-digit lead late in the half. The visitors went into the break ahead 52-41.
Türkiye attempted to respond in the third quarter, but Hungary maintained its advantage and entered the final period with a 66-52 lead. The gap remained in the fourth quarter as Hungary preserved its scoring rhythm and closed out the game 89-74.
Several players stood out on both sides:
Türkiye:
Hungary:
Türkiye will now compete in the FIBA Women’s World Cup for the third time in its history.
The national team first appeared in the tournament in 2014, which it hosted and finished in fourth place. In 2018, Türkiye placed tenth in Spain.
Across its previous two appearances, the team has recorded five wins and five losses in a total of 10 games.
Following the final whistle, both Türkiye and Hungary were presented with symbolic World Cup tickets on the court, marking their qualification for the 2026 tournament.
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