The South Korean women's basketball team faced a tough challenge in their opening match of the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, held in Villeurbanne, France, where they lost to Germany with a score of 49-76. The team struggled throughout the game, falling behind early in the first quarter and failing to recover despite a brief surge in the third quarter. Korea's overall performance highlighted issues in rebounding and shooting accuracy, particularly from three-point range, where they only succeeded with 5 out of 33 attempts.

The game showcased the disparity in height and physicality between the two teams, with Germany's players, such as Frida Buchner and Leonie Fibich, contributing significantly to their victory with 21 and 16 points respectively. South Korea attempted to rely on their strength in outside shooting but was unable to convert effectively, and coach Park Soo-ho expressed disappointment in the inability to secure loose balls, which he believes contributed to the frustrating outcome of the match.

Looking forward, South Korea will face Nigeria later that night as they continue their quest for a 17th consecutive appearance in the World Cup finals. In this qualifying round, they will compete against Colombia, the Philippines, Germany, France, and Nigeria, with a total of 24 countries participating across various regions to secure spots in the September finals. This match against Nigeria is crucial for the team's chances of moving forward in the tournament.