Valkyries 2026 FIBA World Cup Preview

Kalyb Champion

The Valkyries will be well represented in the 2026 FIBA World Cup with four active players participating: Gabby Williams (France), Janelle Salaün (France), Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy) and Miela Sowah (Australia). The No. 38 pick by the Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Kokoro Tanaka (Japan), will also play and Head Coach Natalie Nakase will be an assistant coach for Team USA. Williams became the Valkyries’ first-ever All-Star starter this season, averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game and is a candidate for the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Salaün made WNBA history as the highest-scoring reserve for total points in a season, eclipsing the previous record of 457 points. Zandalasini has been a consistent starter for the Valkyries this season, averaging 8.3 points and 1.3 3-pointers per contest. Sowah is on a developmental contract with the Valkyries and is a two-time WNBL champion, recently leading the Townsville Fire to the 2026 WNBL title. Nakase was named the WNBA’s Coach of the Year last season and has led the Valkyries to the second-best record in the league this season. Tanaka became the second Japanese player drafted in the WNBA and first since Mikiko Hagiwara in 1997. She has yet to play a WNBA game, spending this season overseas with the Eneos Sunflowers in the Women’s Japan Basketball League.

Golden State’s involvement spans five of the 16 countries participating, with Tanaka’s Japan in Group A, Williams and Salaün’s France in Group B, Nakase’s USA in Group B, Sowah’s Australia in Group C and Zandalasini’s Italy in Group D. Each country will play every team in its group once in group play, with the first-place team earning an automatic spot in the quarterfinals. The second and third-place teams in each group will face off in a play-in game to determine the final four spots.

Valkyries by Group:
Group A: Kokoro Tanaka (Japan)
Group B: Gabby Williams (France), Janelle Salaün (France)
Group C: Miela Sowah (Australia)
Group D: Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy), Coach Natalie Nakase (USA)

Group A

Germany

Spain

Japan

Mali

Group B

France

Hungary

Nigeria

South Korea

Group C

Australia

Belgium

Puerto Rico

Türkiye

Group D

United States (USA)

China

Italy

Czechia

Once teams advance past group play, the tournament becomes single-elimination until a champion is crowned. The World Cup champion earns a guaranteed place in the 2028 Olympics, while silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the second and third-place finishers, respectively. The WNBA season will take a break for the World Cup, as the Valkyries will play their final game in Portland against the Fire on Sunday, Aug. 30 and return against the same opponent at Chase Center on Sept. 18.

FRANCE GROUP PLAY SCHEDULE

Country	Opponent	Date	Time (PT)	Network
France	Hungary	Sept. 4	12 p.m.	truTV, HBO Max
France	South Korea	Sept. 5	11:45 a.m.	HBO Max
France	Nigeria	Sept. 7	5:30 a.m.	truTV, HBO Max

ITALY GROUP PLAY SCHEDULE

Country	Opponent	Date	Time (PT)	Network
Italy	Czechia	Sept. 4	11:15 a.m.	HBO Max
Italy	USA	Sept. 6	11:45 a.m.	TNT, HBO Max
Italy	China	Sept. 7	11:45 a.m.	HBO Max

USA GROUP PLAY SCHEDULE

Country	Opponent	Date	Time (PT)	Network
USA	China	Sept. 4	5:15 a.m.	TNT, truTV, HBO Max
USA	Italy	Sept. 6	11:45 a.m.	TNT, HBO Max
USA	Czechia	Sept. 7	11:45 a.m.	TNT, HBO Max

AUSTRALIA GROUP PLAY SCHEDULE

Country	Opponent	Date	Time (PT)	Network
Australia	Puerto Rico	Sept. 4	2:30 a.m.	HBO Max
Australia	Türkiye	Sept. 6	2:30 a.m.	HBO Max
Australia	Belgium	Sept. 7	2:30 a.m.	truTV, HBO Max