I’m a big fan of Caitlin Clark, and my granddaughter Beckett is an even bigger one. Watching her take the court again was especially exciting for both of us.
Clark is currently playing for United States Women's National Basketball Team in the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. These qualifying games help determine which teams advance to the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, scheduled for September 4–13 in Berlin, Germany. This prestigious global championship is held every four years and showcases the very best in women’s basketball.
After being sidelined for eight months with injuries, Clark is officially back, and making quite a statement. In her first game on March 12, her first appearance since July 2025, she scored 17 points in just about 19 minutes, all from three-point range, helping Team USA secure a dominant 110–46 victory. The momentum continued on March 13 with another impressive 91–48 win. With two of five qualifying games completed, Team USA is already off to a commanding start.
There are several exciting matchups still ahead this weekend:
♦ Saturday: Team USA vs. Italy
♦ Sunday: Team USA vs. New Zealand
♦ Tuesday (March 17): Team USA vs. Spain
Team USA won the World Cup in 2022 and is once again favored in the 2026 competition. Because of that championship win, they automatically qualified for this year’s tournament. So why participate in the qualifiers?
♦FIBA requires a host team in each qualifying group.
♦Team USA helps fill the group so other countries can compete for qualification spots.
♦It allows USA Basketball to evaluate players and build roster chemistry.
For Clark, these games are also an important opportunity, to gain international experience, compete under FIBA rules and style of play, and work toward earning a spot on the final World Cup roster.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend of women’s basketball.
Go Team USA—and go Caitlin Clark!
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