Bueckers, Clark, Reese Headline U.S. Roster for 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament
The U. S. women’s national team announced a 12-player roster that blends established veterans with top young talent for the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The squad features multiple WNBA standouts and includes five players who will make their senior competitive debuts for the national team.
Fresh faces poised to make senior debuts
Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark — the last two WNBA Rookies of the Year — will test their games on the international stage when the United States opens play in mid-March. Angel Reese, who joined the WNBA in the 2024 draft class along with Clark, is also set to make her senior competitive debut. Two incoming 2025 WNBA rookies, Sonia Citron of the Washington Mystics and Kiki Iriafen, slot in with that group, giving the roster a notable infusion of youth and draft pedigree.
Veteran gold-medal core returns
The roster retains key contributors from the Olympic gold-medal team. Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young — each part of the 5-on-5 Olympic championship run — will bring experience and championship poise to San Juan. Chelsea Gray’s playmaking and familiarity with high-stakes situations figure to be especially valuable when the team navigates a compact qualifying window.
Depth across positions, WNBA ties
Aliyah Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year, joins Clark as a teammate on the national roster and provides interior defense and rebounding. Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard, whose recent pro paths include stints with multiple clubs, add wing versatility and scoring options off the bench. The roster reflects the interconnected nature of the professional ranks, with several players having spent last season on championship-caliber squads and others still awaiting new contracts while collective bargaining talks continue.
Coaching staff and preparation timeline
Duke head coach Kara Lawson will lead the team in San Juan, supported by WNBA head coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White as assistants. A precompetition training camp is scheduled for March 7–8, 2026 (ET) in Miami, with a limited window that emphasizes quick preparation and role clarity. Lawson will return to her collegiate duties ahead of the tournament’s final days, at which point the assistant coaches are set to take operational charge.
Schedule, stakes and path to Berlin
The qualifying tournament runs March 11–17, 2026 (ET) and opens with the United States facing Senegal. Group play continues against Puerto Rico on March 12, Italy on March 14, New Zealand on March 15 and concludes with a matchup against Spain on March 17. While the United States has already secured a berth at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin later this year thanks to last summer’s AmeriCup victory, the San Juan event serves as a crucial competitive tune-up and a chance to evaluate players ahead of final World Cup roster decisions.
What to watch in San Juan
Keep an eye on how quickly the newcomers adjust to international pace and physicality, and whether veterans like Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum can reliably stabilize the offense in short windows. Matchups against diverse international styles — from Spain’s discipline to Italy’s tactical approach — will expose personnel strengths and gaps. With roster decisions for the World Cup still to come, performances in Puerto Rico may carry outsized weight for players on the bubble.
The U. S. team’s mix of rising stars and proven champions provides a clear blueprint: use the qualifying stretch to build chemistry, refine rotations and give evaluators the evidence needed to finalize a World Cup roster later this year.
