The Opals return to home soil next week for the first time in more than a year, taking on China in a two-game international series at John Cain Arena in Melbourne on 7 and 9 July.
The series marks another important step in the Opals’ preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, with two of the world’s leading women’s basketball nations set to go head-to-head in Melbourne.
The Opals enter the series following an unbeaten start to 2026, having secured a perfect 5-0 record at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament earlier this year. Victories over Argentina, Japan, Hungary, Türkiye and Canada continued the momentum built after Australia’s 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup domination.
Game One tips off on Tuesday, 7 July, before the series wraps up on Thursday, 9 July.
Both games will be played at John Cain Arena and broadcast live and free on the 9Network via 9Go. Tickets are available via Ticketek.
Broadcast
Both games will be broadcast live and free on the 9Network via 9Go!
Tickets
Tickets available via Ticketek.
Zitina Aokuso
Alex Fowler
Amy Atwell
Alicia Froling
Chloe Bibby
Darcee Garbin
Isabelle Bourne
Maddy Rocci
Bonnie Deas
Steph Reid
Abbey Ellis
Alex Wilson
Sitaya Fagan
Courtney Woods
This is the bit where Melbourne roars. Where winter belongs to the crowd, the clash, the edge-of-your-seat moments you feel in your chest. It’s the scent of fresh coffee drifting out of laneway roasters, the neon-lit glow of hidden bars that feel like secrets, the sudden warmth of a gallery, a gig, a perfectly timed bowl of something slow-cooked and soul-filling. At Melbourne’s iconic sporting venues, the atmosphere is everything. It’s the shared chants, the collective gasps, the thrill of being part of something bigger than yourself. Come winter in Melbourne, it’s every bit different.