The South Korean men’s national basketball team will face Japan in the group stage of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, according to schedules released on August 8 by the competition organizing committee and the Korea Basketball Association.
South Korea Men’s Basketball Set for Clash with Japan in 2026 Asian Games
South Korea has been placed in Group A alongside Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. The team’s campaign begins on September 10 with a 4 p.m. game against Saudi Arabia, followed by a match against Indonesia on September 11 at 4 p.m. The group stage concludes for South Korea on September 13 with a 7 p.m. matchup against the host nation, Japan.
Led by head coach Nikolais Mazulis of Latvia, the South Korean team has set a goal of winning the tournament. The roster features “ace” Lee Hyun-jung, who is currently challenging for a spot in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Group A Rankings and Competition Outlook
South Korea enters the tournament facing a significant ranking gap compared to its primary group rival. According to FIBA rankings, the teams in Group A are ordered as follows:
- Japan: 22nd
- South Korea: 57th
- Saudi Arabia: 65th
- Indonesia: 94th
While Japan holds the ranking advantage and the benefit of home-court support, officials noted that South Korea has avoided other difficult Asian opponents such as Iran and China in the group stage.
The rivalry between the two nations remains competitive. On the 6th of last month, South Korea secured a narrow 81-79 victory over Japan during the sixth game of the first round of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. To prepare for the Asian Games, the national team is scheduled to play two evaluation games in Tokyo on September 15 and 16, which will serve as a practical simulation for the main event.
Tournament Format and Advancement
The basketball competition features 12 teams divided into three groups for both the men’s and women’s divisions. The path to the medals is structured as follows:
- The top two teams from each group automatically advance to the quarterfinals.
- The remaining two quarterfinal spots are awarded to the two best third-place teams across the three groups.
Preparation for the event is already underway; the men’s national team conducted training on August 3 at the Gaeseongwan facility within the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province.
Women’s and 3×3 Basketball Assignments
The South Korean women’s national basketball team, coached by Park Su-ho, has been placed in Group C with Taiwan, Malaysia, and Mongolia. The women’s team avoids powerhouses China and Japan in the preliminary round. Their schedule begins with Malaysia on September 18 at 10 a.m., followed by Mongolia on September 21 at 1 p.m., and Taiwan on September 22 at 4 p.m.
Additionally, South Korea will compete in the 3×3 basketball events:
- Men’s 3×3: Placed in Group D with Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.
- Women’s 3×3: Placed in Group D with Thailand, Japan, and Singapore.
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