Spain’s women’s basketball team has arrived in Puerto Rico to compete in the FIBA Women’s Pre-World Cup Qualifying Tournament, seeking one of the qualifying spots for the 2026 World Cup in Germany. The tournament, running from March 11th to 17th, will see the Spanish team face off against New Zealand, Puerto Rico, the United States, Senegal, and Italy.
The Spanish squad, led by coach Miguel Méndez, features nine players who were part of the team that secured a silver medal at the 2025 European Championship. Returning to the roster is Raquel Carrera, after recovering from a knee injury. Notably absent is Alba Torrens, despite her recent return to play with Azul Marino in the LF Challenge league.
The Pre-World Cup tournament in San Juan, held at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot, is one of four qualifying events taking place globally – the others are in Istanbul (Türkiye), Lyon-Villeurbanne (France), and Wuhan (China). The top three teams from each tournament will advance to the World Cup, with the exception of the tournament in San Juan, where only two spots are available due to the pre-qualification of the United States.
The United States, already qualified as the reigning continental champions and winners of the 2025 AmeriCup, presents a significant challenge. The American team, coached by Kara Lawson, includes WNBA stars and Olympic gold medalists like Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young, alongside rising college stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers.
Spain’s path to qualification begins on Wednesday, March 11th, at 7:00 PM Spanish time against New Zealand. They will then face Senegal at the same time on Thursday, March 12th. A key match against the host nation, Puerto Rico, is scheduled for Saturday, March 14th at 1:00 AM Spanish time. A crucial contest against Italy follows on Sunday, March 15th at 10:00 PM Spanish time, and the tournament concludes for Spain with a game against the already-qualified United States on Tuesday, March 17th at 10:00 PM Spanish time.
All of Spain’s games in the Puerto Rico Pre-World Cup tournament will be broadcast live on Teledeporte and available online via RTVE Play.
