2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup: Team USA roster, schedule, games, how to watch, live stream

Later this month, the best women’s basketball players on the planet will converge on Australia for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup, which runs from Sept. 22 until Oct. 1. All games will be played in Sydney, though there are multiple venues in the city. 

As the sport’s current and historical powerhouse, Team USA is once again the favorite to win the competition; the Americans have won a record 10 World Cup gold medals and are looking for a fourth consecutive title. In fact, Team USA has not even lost a game in the competition since falling to Russia in the semifinals of the 2006 tournament. 

Ahead of all the action, here’s everything you need to know about Team USA:

Schedule

Team USA has been drawn into Group A along with Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Puerto Rico and South Korea. They will play each team once, with two points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. The Americans must finish in the top four of the group in order to advance to the knockout stage. 

Preliminary round

• Team USA vs. Belgium | Wednesday, Sept. 21, 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+
• Team USA vs. Puerto Rico | Thursday, Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+
• Team USA vs. China | Saturday, Sept. 24, 12:30 a.m. ET | ESPN+
• Team USA vs. South Korea | Monday, Sept. 26, 12 a.m. ET | ESPN+
• Team USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina |  Wednesday, Sept. 28, 12 a.m. ET | ESPN+
  
  

Knockout stage

• TBD

Roster

Team USA has not released a final roster yet due to the ongoing WNBA Finals, which may not end until the day before the World Cup begins. That would obviously make it difficult to include players such as Chelsea Gray, Brionna Jones, Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas and reigning WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson. 

With stalwarts such as Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles and Diana Taurasi aging out, Napheesa Collier recovering from pregnancy, Skylar Diggins-Smith dealing with personal issues and Brittney Griner detained in Russia, this will be a new-look national team. And perhaps even more so depending on what happens with players participating in the Finals. 

As it stands, the only members of the gold medal-winning team from the 2020 Olympics that appear certain to be heading to Australia are Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Ariel Atkins. 

Here is a look at the preliminary roster, which will eventually have to be cut down to 12. 

Coaching Staff

• Head coach: Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx)
• Assistant: Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics)
• Assistant: Kara Lawson (Duke)
• Assistant: Joni Taylor (Texas A&M)