France Rises to Second in Women's Global Basketball Rankings; Japan Enters Top 10

In an update to the global women's basketball standings, France has secured the second-highest ranking, as announced from Mies, Switzerland. This shift occurred after their dominant performance in Lyon-Villeurbanne, where they achieved five victories without a loss in the recent qualifying tournaments. Their success included earning bonus points in four games by defeating opponents by 15 or more points. The United States maintained its leading position after an undefeated run in San Juan. Belgium also made significant gains, now trailing China by less than a point after an unblemished qualifying tournament in Wuhan, which featured a notable win against China. Japan moved up one spot to re-enter the top 10, having qualified for the 2026 Women's World Cup in Berlin with wins over Canada and Argentina in Istanbul. Germany, the host nation for the upcoming event, also improved its standing, climbing from 12th to 11th place. Germany recorded four significant wins during the qualifiers, including a victory against Nigeria, the African champions. Senegal and Argentina were recognized as the highest climbers from Africa and the Americas, respectively, both contending for World Cup qualification until the final day of their respective tournaments in San Juan and Istanbul.