U.S. women prepare for FIBA World Cup opener in Berlin
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 2, 2026, 3:05 PM
Last updated Sep 2, 2026
The United States women's national team arrived in Berlin to prepare for the upcoming FIBA women's World Cup, which begins Friday. Team USA faces China in the first of three preliminary round games under a revised tournament format that features 16 participating nations. This year’s squad includes several newcomers, such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, alongside veterans like Chelsea Gray and Breanna Stewart. Despite limited collective practice time due to staggered arrivals, coach Kara Lawson emphasized direct instruction to integrate the roster quickly. The WNBA is currently observing a two-week pause to accommodate the international tournament, allowing players to focus on the event.
- •The FIBA women's World Cup begins Friday in Berlin with 16 competing countries.
- •The U.S. national team opens the preliminary round against China.
- •Half of the 12-player U.S. roster is making their World Cup debut.
- •The tournament format includes three preliminary round games instead of five.
- •The WNBA is on a two-week hiatus for the duration of the international competition.
- 3:05 PMYahoo Sports — US women look to jell quickly in Berlin as World Cup looms with little practice time
"The U.S. women's national team is short on practice time heading into a major competition where anything less than winning a gold medal is considered a failure. The Americans will have to jell quickly if they hope to win a fifth straight FIBA women's World Cup. The tournament begins Friday, when the U.S. plays China in one of eight games in Berlin.
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