Team USA takes center stage at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup as they prepare to battle Italy in a key group-stage showdown at Uber Arena in Berlin. Coming off a dominant qualifying campaign, the Americans will look to maintain their gold-standard dominance against an aggressive, disciplined Italian team aiming for an upset on the international stage.
Packed with WNBA star power and high-octane talent, this matchup promises intense, fast-paced action from the opening tip. Here is everything you need to know to catch every moment live, including TV coverage, tip-off times, and streaming options.
Where to Watch Team USA vs Italy?
Team USA vs. Italy at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup could be one of the most intriguing games of the opening round in Group D.
The game tips off at 8:45 p.m. local time in Berlin on Sunday, Sept. 6, which means it will begin at 2:45 p.m. ET. The game will be played at the Uber Arena and is part of the second round of Group D games.
Fans in the United States. have several options for watching the matches. All 36 games will be available to stream on Courtside 1891 through DAZN and HBO Max, while TNT and truTV will carry Team USA’s games along with coverage of the knockout rounds through the championship game.
Viewers can also access TNT and truTV through participating live-TV streaming services, including YouTube TV and DIRECTV.
The matchup comes two days after Team USA opens its World Cup campaign against China and one day before Caitlin Clark and co. close Group D against Czechia.
The four-time defending champion Team USA remains the strongest team in the tournament. That group combines established WNBA veterans like Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Gray with some of the sport’s biggest young stars.
Nine of the 12 players on the final roster will make their FIBA Women’s World Cup debuts, including Clark, Angel Reese, Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, Jackie Young, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen.
Team USA qualified for the 2025 AmeriCup and subsequently played in the San Juan qualifying tournament. They went 5-0, beating Puerto Rico 91-48, Senegal 110-46, Italy 93-59, Spain 84-70, and New Zealand 101-46 in the tournament’s five-game schedule.
The Azzurre, meanwhile, have waited 32 years to return to the Women’s World Cup. Their last appearance came in 1994, when they finished 11th. Their best-ever World Cup finish remains fourth, achieved in 1975.
But this isn’t the same Italian team that disappeared from the global stage three decades ago. Italy won a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2025, its first podium finish at the tournament in 30 years.
Notably, Italy is led by two players with WNBA experience: Cecilia Zandalasini, a forward for the Golden State Valkyries, and Lorela Cubaj, who has played in the WNBA with the New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream.
While Italy will enter the contest as heavy underdogs, they will be expected to compete aggressively, use their physical play inside, and test the Americans’ transition defense.
