STWF Sports | COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado | Aug. 6, 2026 — Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers will represent the United States on one of basketball’s biggest international stages after being named to the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s National Team for the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.
USA Basketball announced its 12-player roster Thursday, with Bueckers earning her first opportunity to compete for the senior national team at a major international tournament. Wings head coach Jose Fernandez will also be part of the U.S. delegation, serving as a scout coach.
The World Cup is scheduled for Sept. 4-13, with the United States pursuing a fifth consecutive gold medal and its 12th championship overall.
Bueckers joins a star-studded roster featuring Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Plum, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young.
Paige Bueckers: A Rising Star on the International Stage
The group brings an extensive championship résumé to Berlin. Collectively, the 12 players have earned 14 Olympic gold medals and nine World Cup gold medals while combining for 58 WNBA All-Star appearances, 16 WNBA championships and seven Rookie of the Year awards.
For Bueckers, however, the tournament represents a new chapter.
She is one of seven players scheduled to make their FIBA World Cup debuts, joining Boston, Clark, Collier, Howard, Reese and Young. Bueckers, Boston, Clark and Reese will also make their first appearances for the United States at either an Olympic Games or senior World Cup.
Bueckers is no stranger to USA Basketball. Earlier in her career, she captured gold at FIBA junior competitions and now makes the jump to a senior roster loaded with established international stars.
USA Basketball Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird said the final roster reflects the depth of talent available to the program.
“This is an incredibly talented group that has earned the opportunity to compete in Berlin,” Bird said. “Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege, and I know these 12 players will embrace that responsibility as we go after another gold medal.”
Stewart, Wilson, Copper, Gray and Plum return from the American team that captured the 2022 World Cup championship. Collier and Young also bring recent championship experience after helping the United States win Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.
Stewart will make additional history in Berlin by becoming just the third U.S. player to appear in at least four World Cups, joining Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
Fernandez will also bring substantial USA Basketball experience to the tournament.
The first-year Wings head coach most recently served as a scout coach during the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament. He previously worked as an assistant coach for the 2025 USA Women’s U19 National Team and 2024 Women’s U18 National Team, with both squads winning gold medals.
Fernandez will serve alongside Duke assistant Tia Jackson as a scout coach. Head coach Kara Lawson will lead the national team, with Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White serving as assistants.
Lawson emphasized the competitiveness of the selection process and the quality of the final roster.
“These 12 have earned it through their play and their consistency,” Lawson said.
The United States begins group play Sept. 4 against China before facing Italy on Sept. 6 and Czechia on Sept. 7.
The Americans are 8-0 all-time against China in World Cup competition, including an 83-61 victory in the 2022 championship game. The U.S. is 1-1 against Italy and 2-0 against Czechia in World Cup play.
The four group winners will advance directly to the quarterfinals on Sept. 10, while the remaining qualifying teams will compete in the play-in round Sept. 8-9. The semifinals are scheduled for Sept. 12, followed by the championship game Sept. 13.
For Dallas, the selections give the Wings representation both on the court and on the coaching staff as Team USA begins another pursuit of international gold.
