Wednesday in Berlin saw the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup settle into place through a series of tight contests. China and Australia each secured their spot in the knockout stage by defeating Puerto Rico and Italy, respectively, with narrow victories. The semifinals take place Saturday, with the championship match following on Sunday.
A fifth straight gold medal for Team USA would match the Soviet Union’s mark of five consecutive titles. The Soviets built that streak from 1959-75.
Below you will find the complete list of games, matchups and a standout athlete to follow for each team still left in the competition.
Thursday’s quarterfinal schedule
All times Eastern:
- USA vs. Hungary, 5:30 a.m. — TNT | HBO Max
- France vs. China, 8:30 a.m. — truTV | HBO Max
- Belgium vs. Germany, 11:45 a.m. — truTV | HBO Max
- Australia vs. Spain, 2:45 p.m. — truTV | HBO Max
On one side of the bracket, the team that comes out on top between USA and Hungary will face the winner of the match between Australia and Spain. Over on the other half of the bracket, the victor of the France-China contest will play against the team that beats Belgium and Germany.
The structure ensures that Team USA and France do not face each other until the championship match. It would mark a repeat of the 2024 Olympic final held in Paris, where Team USA prevailed by just one point.
Odds and the favorites
Team USA is still the team to beat according to FanDuel, even though its odds have eased somewhat, sliding from -380 to -310 since the start of the tournament.
France has become the greatest danger. The squad rose from +700 ahead of the tournament to +480 following a strong group stage where they secured three victories by an average of 42.3 points.
One player to watch from each team
USA — Aliyah Boston. Boston is the Americans’ lone true center and will be needed against Hungary’s size in the frontcourt. She is averaging just 5.3 points but has done the work in the paint.
Gabby Williams has led France to a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics, silver at EuroBasket Women 2021, and silver at the 2024 Olympics. At the current tournament, she is pacing all scorers with an average of 18.7 points per game.
The Black Cats enter their match in Berlin on the back of a gold medal at EuroBasket Women 2025, and they remain undefeated with a record of 3-0. Emma Meesseman, who sat out this season in the WNBA, has been a driving force for her team, putting up averages of 18.3 points, eight rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 blocks. In every category she plays in, she sits among the top 10.
Australia’s injury woes continue to mount. Sami Whitcomb was ruled out before the tournament even began, and Alanna Smith has been sidelined for the entire event. Ezi Magbegor’s status remains uncertain after leaving the win over Italy during the first quarter. Isobel Borlase came off the bench to pour in 30 points against Italy, the highest scoring game of the tournament so far.
Iyana Martín has emerged as the leader of Spain’s young core in Berlin. The 20-year-old was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, and she is anchoring Spain’s offense with her scoring and playmaking. She averages 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, three assists and 1.7 steals per game, leading the nation in both scoring and assists.
China — Han Xu. In China’s win over Puerto Rico, Han drained a step-back 3-pointer to give her team the lead for good. She finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, her fourth double-double in as many games. The New York Liberty forward is averaging 18.3 points and 11.3 rebounds.
Tuesday’s victory over South Korea secured Germany’s first-ever World Cup quarterfinal appearance, and Leonie Fiebich was not at her best in the contest. She managed eight points on 1-of-6 shooting, a performance that did little to show off the strengths she brings to the team. Fiebich leads the squad in rebounds, grabbing an average of 8.8 per game, and she also tops the team in assists with 4.5. Yet her scoring output remains modest, with just 8.3 points on 25% shooting. For Germany to get past Belgium, they will need a much bigger effort from her.
Dorka Juhász and Virag Takacs-Kiss anchor Hungary’s frontcourt. Juhász has been putting up a double-double with 15.3 points and 11 rebounds. Takacs-Kiss has contributed 14 points and 9.5 rebounds. The two combine for 117 of Hungary’s 290 points, which works out to 40.3%.
Key facts
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, all times ET
- Semifinals: Saturday; Final: Sunday
- Team USA seeks fifth consecutive gold
- France’s Gabby Williams leads tournament scoring at 18.7 points per game
- Australia’s Isobel Borlase scored 30 points vs. Italy, a tournament high
Thursday morning opens the quarterfinal round, with Team USA taking on Hungary at 5:30 a.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max.
Source: cbssports.com
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