The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is one of the six continental confederations of international association football. The OFC has 13 members, 11 of which are full members and two which are associate members not affiliated with FIFA. It promotes the game in Oceania and allows the member nations to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup is an international basketball competition between the senior men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport's global governing body. It takes place every four years and is considered the flagship event of FIBA.
The Lebanon men's national basketball team, controlled by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB), has represented Lebanon in basketball since its inception in 1947. The squad is governed by FIBA, and is part of the FIBA Asia zone.
The Australia women's national basketball team, nicknamed the Opals after the brightly coloured gemstone common to the country, represents Australia in international basketball. From 1994 onwards, the Opals have been consistently competitive and successful having won nine medals at official FIBA international tournaments, highlighted by a gold medal winning performance at the 2006 World Championship in Brazil. At the now-defunct regional Oceania Championship for Women, the Opals won 15 titles. In 2017, FIBA combined its Oceanian and Asian zones for official senior competitions; following this change, the Opals compete in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
FIBA Asia is a zone within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) which contains Asian FIBA federation members.
The FIBA Asia Cup is an international basketball tournament which takes place every four years between the men's national teams of Asia and Oceania.
FIBA Oceania Championship was the Oceania basketball championships that took place every two years between national teams of the continent. Through the 2015 edition, the Oceania Championship was also a qualifying tournament for the Basketball World Cups and Olympic Games.
The FIBA Women's Asia Cup is an international basketball tournament which takes place every two years for women's national teams from FIBA Asia, and since 2017 FIBA Oceania. It was known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship until 2001, and the FIBA Asia Women's Championship until 2015.
The Guam men's national basketball team represents Guam in international competitions. It is administered by the Guam Basketball Confederation.
The FIBA Oceania Women's Championship was the women's basketball continental championship of Oceania, played biennially under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Basketball, the basketball sport governing body, and the Oceanian zone thereof. The tournament also serves to qualify teams for participation in the quadrennial FIBA World Championship for Women and the Olympic basketball tournament.
The International Basketball Federation is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the equipment and facilities required, organizes international competitions, regulates the transfer of athletes across countries, and controls the appointment of international referees. A total of 212 national federations are now members, organized since 1989 into five zones: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
Sport in Oceania varies from country to country. The most popular playing sport for men in Australia is Australian rules football, while for women is netball. Australian rules football is the most popular sport in terms of spectatorship and television ratings. Rugby union is the most popular sport among New Zealanders, while in Papua New Guinea rugby league is the most popular. While, Cricket is the most popular overall sport in Oceania.
2017 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
The 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship for Men was the 22nd edition of the FIBA Oceania Championship. The tournament featured a two-game series between Australia and New Zealand. It also served as the qualifying tournament of FIBA Oceania for basketball at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first game was held in Melbourne, Australia on August 15, followed by the second game in Wellington, New Zealand on August 18.
Cricket, rugby union, rugby league & netball are the prominent sporting rivalries between Australia and New Zealand. In addition, respective national teams have competed in other sports such as indoor bowls, basketball, association football, field hockey and touch football.
The 2017 FIBA Under-17 Oceania Championship was an international under-17 basketball tournament held from 10 to 15 July 2017 by FIBA Oceania in Hagatna, Guam. Australia defeated New Zealand in the Finals, 93–55, to take the gold medal and their fifth consecutive U17 title. Both teams advanced to the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship which in was the qualifying tournament for the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.
The 2017 FIBA Oceania Under-17 Women's Championship was an international under-17 basketball tournament held from 10–15 July 2017 by FIBA Oceania in Hagåtña, Guam. Australia defeated New Zealand in the Finals, 81–60. Both teams will now move on to the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Women's Asian Championship, which in turn the qualifying tournament for the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup.
New Zealand participated at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 6 October to 18 October 2018.
Australia is scheduled to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024. Australian athletes have appeared in every Summer Olympic Games of the modern era, alongside France, Great Britain, Greece, and Switzerland. As Brisbane will stage the 2032 Summer Olympics, Australia and the United States, the next nation to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, will march before the homebound French team enters Place du Trocadéro during the parade of nations segment of the opening ceremony.
David Reid
