Story perspectives

U.S. routs China 94-61 in World Cup opener

9/6/2026

Summary

USA Beats China

U.S. defeats China 94-61 in opening game of 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.
Caitlin Clark tallied 14 points and 11 assists, the most assists by a U.S. woman since 1998.
The U.S. roster features a tournament-high 12 current WNBA players, 51 league players total.
France brings the most non-U.S. WNBA players (10), with Australia (9) and Spain (7) behind.

Summary

USA Enters WC

United States entered the World Cup on a 66-game win streak since 2006.
Germany, host nation, was placed in Group A with Japan, Spain and Mali.
Group-stage winners advance directly to quarterfinals, and second and third places enter a qualification round.
A fire alarm at a Berlin hotel woke several players at 2 a.m., but the U.S. team stayed elsewhere.
Group-stage matches run September 4-9, quarterfinals on September 10, and the final on September 13.

History

Historical Context

In 1996 the USA Basketball women’s team, coached by Tara VanDerveer and starring future WNBA star Lisa Leslie, won gold in Atlanta, a win credited with sparking the WNBA and earning Hall-of-Fame induction on August 15 2026. The legacy persisted at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, where 51 WNBA players opened with a 94-61 win over China.

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USA Beats China

U.S. defeats China 94-61 in opening game of 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.
Caitlin Clark tallied 14 points and 11 assists, the most assists by a U.S. woman since 1998.
The U.S. roster features a tournament-high 12 current WNBA players, 51 league players total.
France brings the most non-U.S. WNBA players (10), with Australia (9) and Spain (7) behind.

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