Thailand vs malaysia a: FIBA Asia officially announced on Friday, December 12, that Thailand and Malaysia will jointly host the upcoming FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup, marking a major return of the tournament to Southeast Asia.
Under the hosting arrangement, Malaysia will stage the Division A matches, while Thailand will be responsible for Division B action. The 27th edition of the biennial tournament is scheduled for September next year and will be the first time in a decade that the competition is held in the region.
Southeast Asia last hosted the event in 2016, when Bangkok served as the venue. That edition ended with China claiming its fourth straight championship as part of a rare five-title run, dominating Japan in the final with a decisive 78–47 victory.
Thailand will make history next year by hosting Division B for the first time. Teams competing in the second tier—still to be officially confirmed—will battle for promotion to Division A ahead of the 2028 tournament.
Malaysia, meanwhile, will welcome the U18 Women’s Asia Cup back after a 13-year gap. The country previously hosted the competition in 2012 in Johor Bahru, where China secured the second championship of its five-year title streak.
The event also continues Malaysia’s recent involvement with FIBA youth tournaments. Last October, the nation successfully hosted the U16 Women’s Asia Cup in Seremban, where Australia captured an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
Australia enters the 2026 U18 Women’s Asia Cup aiming for a third straight gold medal. The Opals completed back-to-back championships at the 2024 tournament in Shenzhen, defeating China 96–79 in the final.
