Denso Iris are the champions of the FIBA Women's Basketball League Asia (WBL Asia) 2026. The Japanese side beat Sichuan Yuanda Meile 81-63 in the final at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru, India, on the night of 25 October, according to FIBA. Denso are the first team from Japan to win Asia's premier women's club competition and the first from outside China.
The turning point came early
FIBA reports that Denso set out to attack the rim against bigger opponents, and the game tilted sharply when Sichuan's Chennedy Carter was ejected just before the second quarter. The former WNBA player already had 11 points when she was called for a flagrant foul, then a technical foul for protesting a no-call at the first-quarter buzzer.
From a lead of 7 points, Vladimir Vuksanovic's team put together a 15-4 burst in the third quarter, capped by a Manami Okada three, to lead 66-48 going into the fourth. Denso won all four of their games in Bengaluru.
| Player | Team | Points | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maki Takada | Denso | 23 | Former Olympian, 37 years old |
| Haruna Kasagi | Denso | 15 | 6 of 8 shooting, 4 steals |
| Mai Kawai | Denso | 13 | 6 assists |
| Sokhna Sylla | Denso | 10 | 5 rebounds |
| Sara Blicavs | Sichuan | 18 | 10 rebounds |
| Song Gao | Sichuan | 12 | 7 rebounds |
"It's always a special feeling when you represent a country in any way, whether with a national team or in a club competition," said Vuksanovic.
Kasagi named MVP
Point guard Haruna Kasagi, 27 years old and a former Japan youth international, was named Most Valuable Player. FIBA's figures have her averaging 18.3 points on 67.4% shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals over four games. "This is the title that we've always been looking forward to winning ever since we won our league," she said. The All-Star Five was completed by Takada, Sichuan's Sara Blicavs and Song Gao, and Shelby Cheslek of Cathay Life.
Cathay Life took third place by beating Cheongju KB 73-68. Cheslek, 33 years old, had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists for the first triple-double in WBL Asia history. Cathay Life were runners-up at the inaugural edition in 2024.
Three editions, three champions
KBVN+ has compiled the roll of honour from FIBA's reports:
| Season | Champion | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sichuan Yuanda Meile | Inaugural edition, in Chengdu |
| 2025 | Dongguan New Century | Won on home soil |
| 2026 | Denso Iris | Beat Sichuan 81-63 in the final in Bengaluru |
The 2026 final standings: 1. Denso Iris, 2. Sichuan Yuanda Meile, 3. Cathay Life Tigers, 4. Cheongju KB Stars, 5. Akari Sparks, 6. Indian Railways. Akari, the first Filipino team to take part, lost both group games (85-75 to Cathay Life and 94-73 to Sichuan) before beating Indian Railways 86-56 for fifth place.
What comes next
There is little time to celebrate for Denso. "Four years ago, we had zero trophies. Now we won a cup, a championship, and this is the cherry on top," Vuksanovic said, adding that the team would return to their domestic league three days after the final. Akari coach Derrick Pumaren said: "It was a great experience for us and we will be happy to play again next season."
Look back at Denso's run from the start: Denso dominate Indian Railways 119-35 on WBL Asia debut, and the six teams confirmed for WBL Asia 2026.