Who is Team USA's next opponent at the FIBA Women's World Cup 2026? Date and schedule for their next game
Caitlin Clark and Team USA begin their title defense against China in Berlin
T eam USA 's long-awaited campaign at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is finally underway, with the Americans facing China in their opening game of the tournament.
The United States entered the competition as the reigning four-time world champion and is attempting to extend an extraordinary run of dominance on the international stage.
The 2026 tournament is being held in Berlin, Germany, from September 4 through September 13, with 16 national teams competing for the world championship.
For Team USA , the first assignment is China, with the Group D matchup scheduled for Friday, September 4.
FIBA lists the game for 12:15 p.m. local time in Berlin at Max-Schmeling-Halle , which translates to 6:15 a.m. Eastern Time, but the correct U.S. broadcast schedule places the tip at 8:15 a.m. ET, or 1:15 p.m. BST in the United Kingdom. CBS Sports lists TNT and HBO Max as the U.S. viewing options.
The game represents the beginning of a demanding group-stage schedule for Kara Lawson 's team.
Team USA was drawn into Group D alongside China, Italy and Czechia, meaning the Americans have three games to establish their position before the tournament moves into the knockout rounds.
China is not an opponent Team USA can afford to overlook. The Chinese national team reached the 2022 World Cup final, where it finished as runner-up to the United States.
FIBA's head-to-head record also illustrates the Americans' historical advantage, with the U.S. entering their latest meeting having won all 15 previous recorded matchups against China.
The matchup is also significant because this Team USA roster represents something of a changing era.
Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese are among the players making their major senior international tournament debuts, while veterans such as Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young provide championship experience.
Team USA's road through Group D
The Americans' roster did undergo two significant changes before the tournament began. A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum withdrew for health reasons, with Washington Mystics players Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron called into the squad as replacements.
Wilson was Team USA's leading scorer at the 2024 Olympics, making her absence particularly notable, while Plum had also been an important member of recent championship teams.
Despite those changes, expectations remain extremely high. Team USA has not lost a World Cup game since falling to Russia in the 2006 semifinals and is seeking its fifth consecutive championship.
FIBA says the Americans' unbeaten run in the competition has stretched across multiple editions, while the roster combines established stars with a new generation of American talent.
Lawson has also acknowledged that the international field has become increasingly competitive.
"The world is improving and has continued to improve, and there's more depth to the teams at the World Cup now," Lawson said this week.
That makes the opening game against China an important early test, particularly for a roster that has not played together extensively at this level.
What is Team USA's next game after China?
Once the Americans complete their opening assignment, their attention will immediately turn toward Italy.
Team USA is scheduled to play Italy on Sunday, September 6, in its second Group D contest. CBS Sports lists that game for 2:45 p.m. ET, with TNT and HBO Max carrying the action in the United States.
The group stage concludes the following day when Team USA meets Czechia on Monday, September 7, also at 2:45 p.m. ET according to the CBS Sports schedule. FIBA's official schedule lists the matchup for 6:45 p.m. local time in Berlin.
The structure of the tournament means the group games carry added importance. The four group winners will advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the teams finishing second and third must go through qualification games on September 8 and 9. The bottom team in each group is eliminated.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for September 10, followed by the semifinals on September 12. The championship game and third-place game will take place on September 13 in Berlin.
For Team USA , the immediate objective is therefore straightforward: navigate China, Italy and Czechia successfully and put itself in the strongest possible position for the knockout phase.
With Clark making her World Cup debut and several other young stars taking on their first major senior tournament, the opening game against China is more than simply the first entry on the schedule.
It is the first opportunity to see whether this new-look American roster can maintain the standard established by the teams that came before it.
- Team USA vs. China: Friday, September 4, 8:15 a.m. ET / 1:15 p.m. BST
- Team USA vs. Italy: Sunday, September 6, 2:45 p.m. ET
- Team USA vs. Czechia: Monday, September 7, 2:45 p.m. ET
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, September 10
- Semifinals: Saturday, September 12
- Final: Sunday, September 13
