FIBA has announced Basketball Australia and the New South Wales government has won the bid to host the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 over the weekend.

The world cup will take place at Sydney Olympic Park over ten days in September and October 2022, bringing together 144 players representing 12 nations for a 38-game tournament.

FIBA secretary-general, Andreas Zagklis, said,
"This is a great chance to grow women's basketball across the world further.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the city of Sydney to both promote and take women's basketball to the next level," Zagklis said.

"We witnessed many successes at the last World Cup, and I am sure that in 2022 we will see even more and we are looking forward to a fruitful cooperation over the next two years in planning for this pinnacle event," he said.

Australia won the bid to host over Russia. Australia earns the automatic entry into the 19th edition of the tournament, following winning the silver medal in the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in the final against the United States. 

Basketball Australia CEO, Jerril Rechter, said this decision reflects Australia's passion for basketball.

"We are delighted that Sydney will host the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and that Australian basketball fans will get the opportunity to see some of the world's best players compete for one of the most prestigious titles in our sport," Rechter said. 

"The fact that Australia was selected to host this incredible competition is a testament to the outstanding calibre of basketball talent in our country, the tireless work of our players, coaches and administrators and the passion Australians have for the game," she said.

Australia is one of only four countries that have won the World Cup title since its inception in 1953, claiming the gold in 2006, and have medalled in every tournament since 1986, except 2010.

Basketball Australia head of women's basketball, Lauren Jackson, said this news would only help to further improve basketball's potency in Australia.

"In such an uncertain time, this announcement gives us hope and inspired our next generation to know that women's sport and women's basketball will not stand still, it will continue to grow and continue to forge pathways and opportunities in this country," Jackson said.

FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 Pre-Qualifying Tournaments will take place in each FIBA region in November 2021 to qualify for one of the four global FIBA Qualifying Tournaments in February 2022, which will ultimately decide the final 12 countries for the 2022 World Cup.