What to know about Team USA and the World Cup women’s basketball field as play begins

The FIBA ​​World Cup starts on Friday with 16 teams. More than 50 WNBA players, who are on a two-week break of the league, will enter the competition as the United States seeks its fifth consecutive title and 15 other federations attempt to dethrone the champions.

Here’s what to know when the game starts:

What’s next for the US?

It is difficult to overestimate the dominance of Americans in international competition. Since the creation of the WNBA, Team USA has gone undefeated in the Olympics — only three wins by single digits since 1996 — and has lost just once at the world championships, leading to a third-place finish in 2006. The Americans have since swept four world championships, with each winning by double figures but once in that game.

Even without A’ja Wilson on this year’s roster, Team USA still has the best individual player in the tournament (whether you count that as Breanna Stewart, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier or someone else, it’s an American) and the best collection of talent. It would be a great trouble for the Americans to be defeated. Four of Team USA’s closest contests in the last 20 years, including one loss, have come in Russia, but that program has faltered. Since his fall, no true basketball rival has emerged for the United States.

USA Basketball highly values ​​international tournaments, from the youth level on up. This is why the WNBA, which is the premier basketball league in the world, would go on hiatus right before the postseason to host the World Cup and why the best players in this league avoid their own hiatus to compete. Success on the global stage is important.

What will the young American roster look like?

For all the skill Team USA brings to the table, it lost a lot of experience when Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) and Kelsey Plum (Phoenix Mercury) withdrew from the tournament due to injuries. They have each competed in two Olympics and two World Cups, and Wilson has been the leading scorer for the Americans in the last three major international competitions.

Without that duo, Team USA is left with three players with World Cup experience; Breanna Stewart is making her fourth appearance, while Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper were both on the 2022 roster. Only five players have represented the USA in five-on-five at a senior tournament (Rhyne Howard played 3×3 at the last Olympics). The team is so green that four players didn’t even appear in a WNBA playoff game.

Even the coaching staff is a bit inexperienced at the international level. Duke coach Kara Lawson made the announcement via USA Basketball. She coached the inaugural 3×3 team in Tokyo, was an assistant during the last cycle under Cheryl Reeve and won the 2025 AmeriCup with a roster of college players. But this is the first rodeo for the assistants: Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White, Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts and Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase. It will be interesting to see how these coaches respond to the pressure of the game; none was the head coach of a WNBA or NCAA champion.

During the qualifying tournament, the USA tended to start their veterans even though the playing time was relatively evenly distributed. Although Clark started one game, she played enough to earn tournament MVP. Lawson is expected to select a more experienced starting five – something that includes Stewart, Gray and Copper plus another guard and center.

This is an opportunity for Stewart to assert himself as a leader. She has more international experience than almost all of her teammates combined, and was the tournament’s MVP in 2018. Stewart and Wilson have been co-stewards of this era of USA basketball, but the New York Liberty superstar is the only one in Berlin.

Which other countries are in contention for a medal?

Australia has been the most competitive team in international competition for the past two decades, finishing third at the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. The Opals have eight WNBA players, six of whom are currently significant rotation players: Alanna Smith (Dallas Wings), Rebecca Allen (Liberty), Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm), Jade Melbourne (Storm), Isobel Borlase (Atlanta Dream) and Stephanie Talbot (Aces). What Australia lacks is a unique offensive engine; it’s unclear how the Opals can produce a quality half-court attack, even if their defensive side is as good as anyone in the tournament.

Belgium was the class of European teams, winners of the last two EuroBasket competitions. Forward Emma Meesseman, the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP, who has only played two full WNBA seasons since then, always brings it for her team. Her skill in the post as a passing center and scorer is almost unmatched, and she is flanked by two dynamic guards in Julie Allemand (Toronto Tempo) and Julie Vanloo, who are willing creators and attackers.

Mike Thibault is a veteran coach (second winner in WNBA history) who spent time with Meesseman with the Washington Mystics and was an assistant in the Olympics. The Belgians also have something of a factor – they won Euro 2025 in regulation despite trailing Spain by 12 with 2:42 left.

Is France the main challenger to Team USA?

One caveat to Belgium’s victory in 2025 was that the French essentially played the tournament. Gabby Williams, Marine Johannès and Dominique Malonga stayed with their WNBA teams instead of reporting. The last time France had a full roster was at the 2024 Paris Olympics, when the home team came within one foot of taking Team USA to overtime in the gold medal game.

France has an impressive collection of perimeter talent. Between Williams (Valkyries), Carla Leite (Portland Fire) and Pauline Astier (Liberty), few guards can hit their starting defender and break down a defense. Leite is a week removed from giving Angel Reese and Howard in Atlanta, while Astier tormented the duo of Fever Clark and Aliyah Boston. This is a protective group that will require USA to defend to the wire, a tricky thing for a roster of 12 players who have never played together. And they are generally good defenders. The back field of Williams and Leïla Lacan can make even American stars uncomfortable.

The French have a big gap in their line-up. Johannès and Janelle Salaün (Valkyries) are some of the most poised shooters in the world, and their unorthodox shots prevent good defenses from being deterred. Salaün enjoys competing with his three-pointer and shoots better with a defender in his face.

France are not as imposing in the frontcourt, although Salaün and Malonga are a devastating starting combination with the former’s shooting and the latter’s edge-running. Malonga is also one of the better paint protectors in the entire tournament. Team USA will need to find success from beyond the arc to break down the French defense.

What other teams should we keep an eye on?

Nigeria has been quietly giving Team USA problems in recent competitions. He lost nine to the Americans in the group stage of the 2020 Olympics and 14 in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympics. Rena Wakama, the current peerless head coach and Chicago Sky assistant, has done a fantastic job establishing a team culture for Nigeria. The group moves the ball well, plays hard and uses its athleticism effectively.

China is the biggest team in the tournament, although it suffered a significant blow 6-foot-7 Li Yueru (Wings) is ruled out due to a passport issue. Still, in addition to 6-11 Han Xu (Liberty), keep an eye on 7-3 Zhang Ziyu. The 19-year-old center is eligible for the 2027 WNBA draft and could improve her stock with a strong showing in Berlin. Unfortunately, the less said about the Chinese guards, the better; their main job is to get the ball across half court without turning it over and then feed the bigs.

Spain has the most active WNBA players (five) among the remaining teams, including rookie Storm Awa Fama. A particularly intriguing player to watch is Iyana Martín, the Fire’s first-round pick, who will be coming to the US next season. Martín has a phenomenal record in junior competitions, including winning the MVP of the 2023 U-19 World Cup when Spain lost the final in extra time to the USA.

Seattle Storm rookie Awa Fam can make a big impact in helping Spain make a run. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)

How do we watch the tournament?

Every Team USA game will be on TNT or truTV, and the entire tournament can be streamed on HBO Max.

Which WNBA players are competing?