The Philippines' Gilas Women's basketball team will field a potent blend of seasoned veterans and rising collegiate stars, led by the experienced duo of Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos, along with the reintegrated Stefanie Berberabe, as they embark on a challenging campaign in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Lyon-Villeurbanne, France. The twelve-woman contingent aims to navigate an exceptionally tough draw against global powerhouses, with their opening game slated against host nation France.
This tournament represents a pivotal moment for Philippine women's basketball, offering invaluable international exposure against some of the world’s top-ranked teams while presenting an exceptionally narrow path to the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin, Germany. With two of the group’s six teams already holding automatic berths, Gilas, ranked 39th globally, must contend for one of just two remaining qualification spots, amplifying the stakes for Head Coach Patrick Aquino's squad.
The inclusion of Berberabe, a 25-year-old guard, marks a significant return after her previous exclusion from the Southeast Asian Games roster due to discussions surrounding eligibility as a "naturalized" player. Her presence is anticipated to bolster the team's playmaking and offensive capabilities, injecting both a renewed competitive edge and crucial experience. She joins a core of familiar names like Bernardino and Pontejos, whose leadership and scoring have been instrumental for the national team in numerous international competitions.
Complementing this veteran backbone is a fresh wave of emerging talent drawn from the Philippines' collegiate ranks. Recent UAAP women's basketball MVPs Kacey Dela Rosa and Karl Ann Pingol are set to make their international debut, bringing proven excellence from their university careers. They are joined by Kent Pastrana, the UAAP Season 88 Finals MVP from the University of Santo Tomas, and Sumayah Sugapong, who brings invaluable experience from her tenure with a Division I school in Arizona. This strategic mix aims to create a balanced unit, capable of challenging formidable opponents.
The qualifying tournament itself presents a particularly brutal gauntlet for the Filipinas. Gilas finds itself placed in Tournament D, a group that includes the reigning Olympic silver medalist and world No. 3 France, the formidable No. 12 Germany, the physically imposing No. 8 Nigeria, the technically proficient No. 15 South Korea, and the resilient No. 19 Colombia. Each contest promises to be a high-stakes affair, with Gilas facing teams consistently ranked among the global elite.
The path to the FIBA Women's World Cup, scheduled for September 4 to 13, 2026, in Berlin, is uniquely stringent for this group. While typical qualifying tournaments advance the top three teams, the rules for the Lyon-Villeurbanne bracket are different because Germany, as the host nation, and Nigeria, as the reigning AfroBasket 2025 champion, have already secured automatic berths. Although they participate in this qualifying tournament, their results do not consume additional qualification spots. Consequently, Gilas and the other competing nations are effectively vying for only two remaining tickets to Berlin, significantly narrowing the margin for error.
France, with the advantage of playing on home soil, enters the tournament as a heavy favorite, propelled by their recent success in reaching the finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nigeria, fresh off their continental championship victory, poses a significant physical challenge with their athletic prowess and aggressive play.
South Korea remains a perennial Asian powerhouse, having previously demonstrated its capability by eliminating the Filipinas in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup semi-finals qualification round. Colombia, too, arrives with strong credentials, having reached the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup, underscoring the depth of talent within this competitive group. Even Germany, despite its pre-qualified status, is expected to play with full determination, using the tournament to fine-tune its game against top-tier competition