USA Basketball unveils star-studded women's roster for 2026 World Cup

USA Basketball disclosed its women's national team for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, slated for September in Berlin. The lineup introduces three high-profile rookies—Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers—alongside a core of Olympic medalists including A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Chelsea Gray. Sue Bird, the national team managing director, highlighted that this marks the inaugural instance of a managing director personally choosing the roster rather than a committee.

Veteran coach Kara Lawson will lead the squad, which also features debutants Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston. The United States will compete against China, Italy and the Czech Republic during pool play, while the WNBA pauses its season for nearly three weeks to accommodate the tournament. Stewart becomes only the third player to appear in four World Cups, joining Bird and Diana Taurasi in that achievement.