U.S. leads FIBA Women’s WC Power Rankings, China second

Players and staff of team China pose for photos after securing their participation at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Australia by beating Mali 84-64. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua)

Defending champions the United States led the latest FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Power Rankings, followed by China in second place. The two teams were drawn in the same group for the upcoming FIBA World Cup.

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — FIBA released the third volume of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Power Rankings on Friday, as defending champions the United States and China sat in the top and second positions respectively.

With around one month to go to the World Cup, the FIBA said the third volume focuses strongly on the draw for the competition and what looks to be a ‘Group of Death’.

The first volume of the Power Rankings were drawn up before the qualifying tournaments in February and updated with the second volume after the competition’s field was set. China placed fourth and second respectively in the past two volumes of the rankings.

The United States beat Japan to win their 7th straight gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Saitama, Japan, Aug. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Besides the United States and China, other World Cup participants listed in the latest rankings are Australia, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, South Korea, Puerto Rico and Mali.

The FIBA Women’s World Cup 2022 will be played in Sydney, Australia from September 22 to October 1.

China has been drawn in Group A with Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United States.

According to the FIBA, the rankings will be updated again on the eve of the tournament when more rosters have been confirmed.  ■