The USA will seek their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medal
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Aug. 6, 2026) – USA Basketball announced today the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, which will compete at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, set for Sept. 4-13, in Berlin. The team announcement is presented by Google.
The 2026 USA Women’s National Team includes Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Plum (Phoenix Mercury), Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).
The team is highlighted by 12 athletes with extensive USA Basketball experience, combining for 14 Olympic and nine World Cup gold medals. The team also features seven players making their World Cup debuts. The USA are seeking their fifth consecutive – and 12th overall – World Cup gold medal.
"I'm so excited to announce the 2026 USA Basketball Women's National Team," said USA Basketball Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird. "This is an incredibly talented group that has earned the opportunity to compete in Berlin. Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege, and I know these 12 players will embrace that responsibility as we go after another gold medal. I can't wait to see what this team accomplishes together."
Copper, Gray, Plum, Stewart and Wilson return to defend their 2022 FIBA World Cup title. Along with Collier and Young, the group will look to win their second major international women’s basketball title in the last three years, having won gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Boston, Bueckers, Clark, Collier, Howard, Reese and Young will make their FIBA World Cup debuts, and Boston, Bueckers, Clark and Reese will make their first USA appearance at a major international competition (World Cup or Olympic Games).
In addition to their international medal haul, the 12-player roster has a combined 58 WNBA All-Star appearances, 16 WNBA titles and seven WNBA Rookies of the Year. Stewart and Wilson have combined for six WNBA MVP honors.
Stewart will become one of just three USA players to appear in at least four World Cups (Bird, 5; Diana Taurasi, 4).
Boston, Bueckers, Clark, Collier, Howard, Plum, Stewart and Wilson won gold medals with USA Basketball at FIBA junior competitions earlier in their careers.
At the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup, Wilson led the USA with 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to win MVP honors. Plum and Stewart notched 15.8 and 12.8 points, respectively.
The players were selected by Bird and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
At the World Cup, USA Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University) will be assisted by Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever). Nakase, Tibbetts and White served on staff for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament and were court coaches at both the December 2025 and April 2026 USA Women’s National Team training camps.
Additionally, Jose Fernandez (Dallas Wings) and Tia Jackson (Duke University) will serve as scout coaches. Fernandez has extensive experience with USA Basketball, most recently as a scout coach at the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament. He also was an assistant coach for the 2025 USA Women’s U19 and the 2024 Women’s U18 National Teams, which both won gold medals. Currently in his first season as head coach for the Dallas Wings, Fernandez led the University of South Florida to 19 postseason appearances in 25 seasons.
Jackson, who played for the Phoenix Mercury, was a scout coach at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Her 30-year coaching career includes stops at some the top women’s programs in the country, most recently helping Duke to a second straight Elite Eight appearance and the 2026 ACC regular season and tournament titles.
"It's great to have a team and to have a roster,” Lawson said. “It's been a long process to whittle it down to 12 players, and I think that speaks to just the talent we have in our country across the board. These 12 have earned it through their play and their consistency. I couldn't be more excited about working with each of them, and I've had good experience with each of them. I think that's what makes it even more special is the relationships that you have, and having worked with them in different capacities. I know what they're capable of, and I know that this is a group that's ready for the challenges that are ahead."
The U.S. open group play against China on Sept. 4, followed by Italy on Sept. 6 and Czechia on Sept. 7. A full schedule, including game times and broadcast information, is available here.
At the World Cup, the USA are 8-0 all-time vs. China, last defeating the Chinese 83-61 in the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup final. The USA are 1-1 all-time vs. Italy, with this being the first matchup between the two nations since the USA outlasted the Italians 66-64 in 1979. The USA are 2-0 all-time against Czechia with the USA most recently notching an 89-69 win in 2010.
The remaining 12 teams are split into three groups. The top team in each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals, to be held Sept. 10, while the other eight advancing nations will move to the play-in round on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9.
The semifinals are set for Sept. 12 and the final will take place Sept. 13.
For more information on the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, click here.
USA Basketball will hold a teleconference with USA Basketball managing director Sue Bird at 11 a.m. ET. Please email communications@usabasketball.com to RSVP and to receive login information.