FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026. Image via: FIBAFIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 tips off in Berlin on September 4, and Team USA arrives as the team nobody wants to play. Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese will all make their senior World Cup debuts on the same roster as A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, a group Sue Bird built and Kara Lawson will coach.That kind of roster depth is exactly why the tournament matters this year. The Americans haven't lost a World Cup game since 2006. Everything else around them, though, looks different this time.USA is in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026Team USA lands in Group D alongside China, Italy and Czechia, chasing a streak that has survived a change in tournament format and a deeper, tougher field. FIBA trimmed the bracket to 12 teams for Sydney in 2022, then expanded it back to 16 for Berlin, splitting them into four groups with a play-in round bolted on for teams that miss the top two spots.Win the group outright and a team walks straight into the quarterfinals. Finish second or third and there's one more game standing between a team and the knockout stage. Finish fourth, and the tournament ends after three games. It's a format that punishes any slow start, which is part of what makes the U.S. group opener worth circling.The competition isn't just deeper on paper. Belgium won EuroBasket last year. Australia took the Asia Cup. Nigeria claimed AfroBasket. China was the team the U.S. beat in the last World Cup final, and Germany, the host nation, has never finished better than 11th at this event. None of that changes the pressure sitting on Team USA. If anything, it adds to it.When is the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026The tournament runs from Friday, September 4 through Sunday, September 13. Group play fills the opening days, the play-in games land on September 8 and 9, quarterfinals hit on September 10, semifinals follow on September 12, and the third-place game and final close things out on September 13.Team USA opens against China on September 4 at 8:15 a.m. ET, an early tip for anyone watching from the U.S. given the time difference with Berlin.Where is the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026Berlin hosts the entire tournament, with games split between two venues: Uber Arena and Max-Schmeling-Halle. Sixteen national teams will rotate through both buildings across the ten days of competition.FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026: Full scheduleGroupsGroupTeamsAGermany, Spain, Japan, MaliBFrance, Nigeria, Korea, HungaryCAustralia, Belgium, Puerto Rico, TurkeyDUSA, China, Italy, CzechiaAll times Eastern.Group ADateTimeMatchupFri, Sept. 45:30 a.m.Japan vs. MaliFri, Sept. 411:45 a.m.Spain vs. GermanySat, Sept. 55:30 a.m.Mali vs. SpainSat, Sept. 512:00 p.m.Germany vs. JapanMon, Sept. 711:50 a.m.Japan vs. SpainMon, Sept. 711:50 a.m.Germany vs. MaliGroup BDateTimeMatchupFri, Sept. 43:00 p.m.Hungary vs. FranceFri, Sept. 48:30 p.m.Korea vs. NigeriaSat, Sept. 52:45 p.m.France vs. KoreaSat, Sept. 58:15 p.m.Nigeria vs. HungaryMon, Sept. 78:30 p.m.Hungary vs. KoreaMon, Sept. 78:30 p.m.Nigeria vs. FranceGroup CDateTimeMatchupFri, Sept. 45:30 a.m.Australia vs. Puerto RicoFri, Sept. 411:30 a.m.Belgium vs. TurkeySun, Sept. 65:30 a.m.Turkey vs. AustraliaSun, Sept. 611:45 a.m.Puerto Rico vs. BelgiumMon, Sept. 75:30 a.m.Belgium vs. AustraliaMon, Sept. 75:30 a.m.Puerto Rico vs. TurkeyGroup DDateTimeMatchupFri, Sept. 48:15 a.m.USA vs. ChinaFri, Sept. 42:15 p.m.Czechia vs. ItalySat, Sept. 58:30 a.m.China vs. CzechiaSun, Sept. 62:45 p.m.Italy vs. USAMon, Sept. 72:45 p.m.USA vs. CzechiaMon, Sept. 72:45 p.m.Italy vs. ChinaQualification round (play-in)Eight teams miss out on a direct quarterfinal spot after group play and compete for four remaining slots.DateGameMatchupTue, Sept. 8PI-1Group A runner-up vs. Group B third placeTue, Sept. 8PI-2Group B runner-up vs. Group A third placeWed, Sept. 9PI-3Group D third place vs. Group C runner-upWed, Sept. 9PI-4Group C third place vs. Group D runner-upQuarterfinals, semifinals and finalsDateRoundMatchupThu, Sept. 10QF-1Group A winner vs. PI-3 winnerThu, Sept. 10QF-2Group B winner vs. PI-4 winnerThu, Sept. 10QF-3Group C winner vs. PI-1 winnerThu, Sept. 10QF-4Group D winner vs. PI-2 winnerSat, Sept. 12SF-1QF-1 winner vs. QF-4 winnerSat, Sept. 12SF-2QF-2 winner vs. QF-3 winnerSun, Sept. 13Third place10:30 a.m.Sun, Sept. 13Final2:00 p.m.How to watch the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026All 36 games will stream live on HBO Max. Seventeen games, including every Team USA matchup, will also air on TNT or truTV.Lauren Jbara anchors the studio coverage alongside Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles, with Candace Parker joining select broadcasts. Brendan Glasheen calls the action with Sarah Kustok on color, and Allie LaForce reports from the sidelines.DateMatchupTime (ET)NetworkFri, Sept. 4USA vs. China8:00 a.m.TNT, truTVSun, Sept. 6USA vs. Italy2:30 p.m.TNTMon, Sept. 7USA vs. Czechia2:30 p.m.TNTTue, Sept. 8Play-in round—truTV (select games)Thu, Sept. 10Quarterfinals—TNT or truTVSat, Sept. 12Semifinals—TBS, truTVSun, Sept. 13Third place & final—TNT, truTV