Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Gabby Williams, Jackie Young, and more headline the field at the 2026 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
World Cup fever is hitting the hardwood.
The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is set to get underway in Berlin, as 16 national squads will seek gold medal glory. Team USA is seeking its record-extending 12th title and its fifth in a row, bringing in a squad partly headlined by Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Jackie Young, and more. It'll be the first major international showcase for new head coach Kara Lawson, who has been tabbed to oversee the protection of homecourt at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. She took over the top USA post in September 2025, succeeding Cheryl Reeve.
Team USA's stiffest competition to its World Cup exclusivity will probably be France, as the Dominique Malonga/Gabby Williams-led squad gave the Americans all they could handle in the gold medal game at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Australia is the most recent non-American squad to prevail in the tournament and features the formidable defensive pairing of Ezi Magbegor and Alanna Smith.
The Americans are also stationed in a group with China, the victim of their latest World Cup final victory in Australia back in 2022. Though it's partaking in just its second World Cup, there's sizable hope for host nation Germany, which is headlined by the work of Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally.
Keep track of the full tournament slate below, with group play getting underway on Sept. 4 and the championship culmination arriving nine days later.
(All Times ET)
(x-clinched advancement)
(y-clinched qualification)
(z-clinched group win)
Group A
| Wins | Losses | Point Differential | |
| 1. Spain | 1 | 1 | +21 |
| 2. Mali | 1 | 1 | +4 |
| 3. Japan | 1 | 1 | ―11 |
| 4. Germany | 1 | 1 | ―14 |
Friday, September 4
Japan 102, Mali 97
Spain 83, Germany 53
Saturday, September 5
Mali 82, Spain 73
Germany 74, Japan 58
Monday, September 7
Japan vs. Spain, 11:30 a.m., TruTV
Germany vs. Mali, 11:45 a.m., HBO Max
Group B
| Wins | Losses | Point Differential | |
| z-1. France | 2 | 0 | +72 |
| y-2. South Korea | 1 | 1 | ―8 |
| y-3. Hungary | 1 | 1 | ―42 |
| 4. Nigeria | 0 | 2 | ―46 |
Friday, September 4
South Korea 99, Nigeria 81
France 99, Hungary 53
Saturday, September 5
Hungary 71, Nigeria 67
France 95, South Korea 69
Monday, September 7
Nigeria vs. France, 8:15 a.m., TruTV
Hungary vs. South Korea, 8:30 a.m., HBO Max
Group C
| Wins | Losses | Point Differential | |
| 1. Australia | 1 | 0 | +16 |
| 2. Belgium | 1 | 0 | +14 |
| 3. Turkey | 0 | 1 | ―14 |
| 4. Puerto Rico | 0 | 1 | ―16 |
Friday, September 4
Australia 70, Puerto Rico 54
Belgium 89, Turkey 75
Sunday, September 6
Turkey vs. Australia, 5:30 a.m., HBO Max
Puerto Rico vs. Belgium, 11:30 a.m., TruTV
Monday, September 7
Belgium vs. Australia, 5:30 a.m., HBO Max
Puerto Rico vs. Turkey, 5:30 a.m., HBO Max
Group D
| Wins | Losses | Point Differential | |
| 1. United States | 1 | 0 | +33 |
| 2. Italy | 1 | 0 | +9 |
| 3. Czech Republic | 0 | 1 | ―9 |
| 4. China | 0 | 1 | ―33 |
Friday, September 4
United States 94, China 61
Italy 63, Czech Republic 54
Sunday, September 6
China vs. Czech Republic, 8:30 a.m., HBO Max
Italy vs. United States, 2:30 p.m., TNT
Monday, September 7
United States vs. Czech Republic, 2:30 p.m., TNT/TruTV
Italy vs. China, 2:45 p.m., HBO Max
*All Times Eastern*
Tournament Round
Qualification to Quarterfinals
Tuesday, September 8: TBD
Tuesday, September 8: TBD
Wednesday, September 9: TBD
Wednesday, September 9: TBD
Quarterfinals (Thursday, September 10)
TBD
Semifinals (Saturday, September 12)
TBD
Third-Place Game (Sunday, September 13)
TBD, 10:15 a.m., TruTV
Championship Game (Sunday, September 13)
TBD, 1:45 p.m., TNT/TruTV
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
