South Korea opened the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin with a 99-81 victory over Nigeria, giving the team a strong start in a group where every result affects the route to the knockout stage. Park Ji-hyun led Korea with 27 points.
The scoring was spread well beyond one player. Kang Lee-seul added 20 points, Choi Yi-sam scored 19 and Lee Hae-ran contributed 17, giving Korea four major offensive contributors in the opener and enough separation to finish with an 18-point win.
The next competitive test
Group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while teams finishing second and third enter a playoff round. Korea plays France on September 6 and Hungary on September 7, and those results will determine whether the opening win becomes a favorable position for the next stage.