Australia, China open women's softball international series in Brisbane with LA28 Olympics in sight

World No. 10 Australia and No. 12 China opened a five-game series on Thursday, with the Aussie Spirit taking a 4-3 win over the Chinese squad. The series will run from 5 to 8 December at Redlands Softball Association in Ormiston, Queensland, just outside Brisbane. In addition to the senior matches, both countries will field their U-18 teams for a series of exhibition games.

You can see the information about the series here.

“We are delighted to welcome China to Australia and look forward to hosting them in Brisbane," said Softball Australia CEO, Sarah Loh. "This tournament presents a fantastic opportunity for the Aussie Spirit to challenge themselves against one of the top teams in the world.”

This international showdown comes at a pivotal time as both Australia and China sets their sights on securing a spot in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where softball will feature on the Olympic stage for the sixth time. 

“We’re not just looking at this tournament as a great event – we’re looking at it as a vital step in our Olympic ambitions,” Loh said. “We know that China’s visit is going to give our Aussie Spirit the kind of competition they need to push to the next level. And we’re not just focused on the senior team – our junior players are going to get a chance to compete too, and that is huge for the future of the sport.”

The Australian Women’s Softball team has medalled in four out of five Olympic Games in which softball has been included while China holds an Atlanta 1996 silver medal.