Seventy current and former WNBA players are competing in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which runs from Friday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 13, in Berlin, Germany, according to WNBA data. Fourteen of the 15 WNBA teams feature a player in the tournament, and 15 of the 16 competing national teams include at least one current WNBA player. The tournament features 51 current WNBA players and 19 former WNBA players, alongside 16 players who have been selected as WNBA All-Stars.
WNBA Talent Takes Global Stage at Berlin FIBA World Cup
The international competition highlights the global reach of women’s basketball, with multiple national squads drawing heavily from WNBA rosters. France leads the rest of the field with 10 current or former WNBA players, followed by Australia with nine, Spain with seven, and Germany with six. Five current or former WNBA coaches are serving as national team head coaches, including Sandy Brondello for Australia, Mike Thibault for Belgium, Olaf Lange for Germany, Corey Gaines for Japan, and Rena Wakama for Nigeria.
Team USA Chases Another Title Amid Roster Adjustments
The United States national team features a tournament-high 12 current WNBA players and is aiming to win its fifth championship, having held the title since 2010. The American squad is led by head coach Kara Lawson, with assistants Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts, and Stephanie White, while Jose Fernandez serves in a scouting capacity.
The U.S. roster experienced changes ahead of the tournament, with the team announcing that four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum would miss the World Cup due to injuries. They were replaced on the roster by newcomers Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. The American team relies on a young core featuring Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese alongside stalwart Breanna Stewart.
Competitors acknowledge the rising level of international talent. U.S. coach Lawson noted that the depth of the tournament fields makes this a particularly challenging year. France enters the event looking to build on its performance after coming within a point of the United States in the gold medal game at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Tournament Format and WNBA Season Impact
The 16-team tournament is split into four groups for pool play, where each squad faces the other three countries in its group once. Group winners automatically advance to the quarterfinals, while second- and third-place teams compete in initial knockout rounds ahead of the September 13th championship game. The schedule format requires teams to play three pool games in four days, a reduction from past loads intended to ease physical demands before the elimination rounds.
To accommodate the international competition, the WNBA suspended its season on August 31, with league play scheduled to resume on September 17. The mid-season break presents a new operational dynamic for teams navigating the 44-game WNBA schedule, offering vital rest for banged-up squads while introducing a unique scheduling adjustment for all participating organizations.
