Australia and Japan start women’s basketball World Cup with wins; US faces China later

The FIBA women’s World Cup kicks off on Friday, with the United States seeking its fifth consecutive title. The Americans have maintained an impressive 30-game winning streak in the tournament, starting from a defeat to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. The team will be led by young talent, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, all making their debuts in this event.

Among the competitors, France poses the greatest threat to the U.S., having narrowly lost to the Americans during the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match. Other notable opponents could include Spain, Belgium, and China. In the past, China was defeated by the U.S. in the 2022 World Cup final.

The 16 participating teams are divided into four groups, with each team playing a round-robin stage. The second- and third-place teams from each group advance to a qualification round, while the group winners proceed to the quarterfinals. The top four teams from the qualification rounds will advance to the quarterfinals as well.

In the 2022 World Cup, only 12 teams competed, with teams playing five games in six days before advancing to the quarterfinals. For the 2022 World Cup, FIBA has introduced two sites in Berlin to host the 36 games. TNT will broadcast all games across TNT, truTV, and HBO Max as part of its multiyear rights deal with FIBA.

The tournament will run from September 4-13, 2024. Analysts Tina Charles and Renee Montgomery will provide studio coverage for TNT, with Charles having helped the U.S. win three World Cups from 2010-18. Charles acknowledges the pressure of being the team expected to win, stating, "There's definitely going to be, challenges. gold is earned. It's not assumed." She emphasizes the difficulty of maintaining the high standard expected when wearing the USA jersey.

FIBA has increased its commitment to the women's World Cup, ensuring that every player on every team will have their own hotel room for the first time. Additionally, the organization has provided dedicated weightlifting facilities and private lounges for relaxation. FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis emphasized that these resources are provided to match the standards of the men's World Cup and that financial assistance is also offered to member teams to prepare their squads.

With more than 50 WNBA players participating in the World Cup, the league is on a break from August 31 to September 16, making it the first time the tournament coincides with the WNBA season. This arrangement is set to continue when the event moves to a late November time slot in 2030, when Japan hosts the competition.