Created: 2026.03.11. 10:22
After twenty-eight years, the Hungarian women’s national basketball team is once again competing for a place at the World Championship, taking part in the qualification tournament in Istanbul between 11 and 17 March. Three athletes associated with Széchenyi István University may also take to the court as members of the team, while the preparation is supported by the institution’s lecturer, Dr Zoltán Alföldi, in the role of sports psychologist.
One of the qualification tournaments for the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup will be held in Istanbul between 11 and 17 March, where six national teams – Hungary, Japan, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Türkiye – will compete against each other. The teams face an extremely tight schedule, playing five matches in seven days. Australia has already secured its place at the World Championship as continental champion, and besides them three further teams can qualify for the tournament to be held in Germany.
Széchenyi István University is proud that several of its students are members of the Hungarian national team squad: Nina Aho is enrolled in the postgraduate sports coach specialisation programme, Réka Dombai studies on the recreation bachelor’s programme, while Ágnes Török is a doctoral student.
Nina Aho, Dr Zoltán Alföldi, Réka Dombai and Ágnes Török represent Hungary and Széchenyi István University as members of the Hungarian women’s national basketball team at the World Championship qualification tournament in Istanbul (Photo: Péter Girgász / MKOSZ)
“It is a great achievement that we managed to qualify for the tournament, as only the best twenty-four teams in the world have the opportunity to compete for a place at the World Championship. It is a particular pleasure for us that roughly one quarter of the national team squad consists of students from our University,” said Dr Zoltán Alföldi, Head of the Department of Health Promotion and Exercise Science at the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences.
“I have been involved in the team’s preparation as a sports psychologist since 2023. The players arrived at the tournament in good form: those playing in Hungary prepared together in a one-week training camp, while those competing in foreign leagues joined the squad in line with their competition schedules,” he added. “The dual career model of Széchenyi István University provides significant support for athletes in successfully continuing their studies alongside a high-level sporting career, assisting them through mentoring programmes, scholarships and flexible study opportunities.”
The Hungarian national team will play its first match on 11 March against Japan, followed by games against Canada, Australia, Argentina and Türkiye. The matches will be broadcast live by M4 Sport and M4 Sport+.
Matches:
11.03. (Wednesday), 15:30 – Japan vs Hungary
12.03. (Thursday), 15:30 – Hungary vs Canada
14.03. (Saturday), 12:30 – Australia vs Hungary
15.03. (Sunday), 12:30 – Hungary vs Argentina
17.03. (Tuesday), 18:30 – Türkiye vs Hungary
