In a rare shift at the top, FIBA dropped Team USA to the No. 2 spot in FIBA’s latest Women’s World Cup Power Rankings; Volume 5, ceding the top position to an surging French national team.
The slight drop for the Americans serves as a reaction to their tightest tournament test yet—a narrow 55–52 victory over Italy. Marking the program’s lowest scoring tally since the introduction of the three-point line in 1984, the defensive grind highlighted lingering chemistry adjustments for the star-studded squad. Meanwhile, France climbed to No. 1 behind dominant defensive displays and record-setting offensive efficiency from beyond the arc.
Despite dropping one spot, Team USA remains the formidable tournament favorite to capture gold in Berlin. Headlined by elite talent and deep rotation options, the Americans bounced back immediately with a 105–64 blowout win over Czechia to close out group play.
Here are the top 10 of the Women’s World Cup Power Rankings; Volume 5;
- France
- United States
- Belgium
- Spain
- Australia
- Germany
- China
- Japan
- Hungary
- Italy
While FIBA’s subjective rankings focus on current momentum, Team USA’s unmatched two-way depth makes them the gold standard heading into the knockout stage. This drop in ranking could motivate a squad that has held FIBA World Cup gold since 2010. The quarter-finals of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup kick off tomorrow, September 10, when Team USA faces Hungary—with a potential rematch against Italy looming in the semi-finals.