SANTIAGO (Chile) – The 18th edition of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup has come to an end after an intense week of competition filled with excitement, surprises, and compelling storylines on the court. With the champions crowned, it’s time to reflect. Join us as we break down which national teams rose to the occasion and which fell short in this latest edition of the continental tournament.
United States
Tournament record: 7-0 Always a title contender, the AmeriCup has become one of the most challenging competitions for the United States in recent years, as they’ve opted to bring only college players to face off against more experienced opponents. This is part of a strategy to give their top prospects exposure at the senior level. This time, not only did they accomplish that developmental goal, but they also reclaimed the championship after falling short in 2023. With the title, they also secured a spot in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and in the World Cup Qualifying Tournaments scheduled for March next year. This U.S. squad is loaded with talent, and they proved it throughout the tournament. Led by head coach Kara Lawson, the team executed from the defensive end and imposed their transition game to dominate older, more seasoned rivals.
Brazil
Tournament record: 6-1 Brazil entered the tournament as the reigning champions and top title favorites with two of the most high-profile players in the tournament— Kamilla Cardoso and Damiris Dantas, both WNBA standouts. Cardoso and Dantas delivered stellar performances, but the team relied too heavily on them. Only point guard Bella Nascimento stepped up with solid contributions. Outside of that trio, just two other players averaged more than five points per game, which ultimately proved insufficient.
Canada
Tournament record: 5-2 Though they were aiming for a top-two finish, securing yet another top-three spot is very much in line with expectations. Historically, Canada is the team with the most bronze medals in the competition. They added another one to the collection, which is now up to nine. That said, it wasn’t easy: they narrowly escaped a loss against Argentina, needing a last-second bucket in double overtime to seal the win. A bright spot for Canada was the debut of American head coach Nell Fortner, who used the tournament to integrate a number of promising young players such as Delaney Gibb, Tara Wallack, and Phillipina Kyei. In addition to Syla Swords and Yvonne Ejim, who already competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Overall, this new generation looks poised to take over the program.
Argentina
Tournament record: 3-4 Argentina showed the most improvement compared to the previous edition. The team climbed three spots to finish fourth and came within seconds of earning a bronze medal. A last-second shot by Syla Swords dashed their hopes in the third-place game against Canada. Beyond that thriller, Argentina also defeated a strong Puerto Rico squad that had made back-to-back Olympic appearances.
Colombia
Tournament record: 4-3 For the fourth straight edition, Colombia finished fifth. While they didn’t move up the standings, maintaining that position in such a competitive field is a major achievement for a team that hasn’t traditionally been among the region’s powerhouses. They earned a key win over Puerto Rico—and could have had two, had they managed to close out their narrow three-point loss in the opening game.
Puerto Rico
Tournament record: 3-4 Puerto Rico may have been the tournament’s biggest disappointment. For the first time in five editions, they finished outside the top four. Losses to Argentina and Colombia, along with a hard-fought win over Mexico, fell far below the expectations for a team fresh off qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics. They lacked the same grit and fire of previous editions, barely hanging on to claim the final spot for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments. This core group of players, along with head coach Jerry Batista, has delivered unprecedented success over the past eight years in women’s basketball for Puerto Rico. Are they now on the decline, or was this just a stumble?
Mexico
Tournament record: 2-5 Mexico played a great game against Puerto Rico in the classification stage and then defeated the Dominican Republic in a rematch of their Centrobasket loss. The team showed flashes of its potential and could become a dangerous opponent in the coming years, thanks to a talented group of young players including Gabriela Jáquez, Anisa Jeffries, Mariana Valenzuela, Mayra Gil, Ariadna Vidales, among others.
Dominican Republic
Tournament record: 1-6 Entering the tournament, the Dominican Republic looked like a team capable of pulling off a surprise or two. However, the absence of forward Esmery Martínez dramatically reduced their chances. Without her, young Cesarina Capellán became the team’s only consistent offensive weapon, and it showed. Their lone win came against El Salvador, coming from behind, thanks largely to Capellán’s effort. Overall, the team lacked cohesion and struggled to find rhythm throughout the competition.
Chile
Tournament record: 0-4 The host nation came into the tournament severely undermanned, missing several key players for various reasons, including their top two performers from the last South American Championship, Fernanda Ovalle and Tatiana Gómez. They were never able to recover from those absences. All of their losses came by margins of over 15 points, though they did have a few encouraging stretches. The most memorable came in the opening game against the U.S., when they briefly led 14–11 and held the Americans even at 14 for over eight minutes.
El Salvador
Tournament record: 0-4 El Salvador came close to notching its first-ever win in two AmeriCup appearances, nearly defeating the Dominican Republic. They led by 11 with just 30 seconds left in the third quarter, but collapsed in the final 10 minutes. That loss cost them a spot in the quarterfinals, which had been their primary goal. Still, qualifying for the tournament in the first place while eliminating Cuba along the way was already a significant milestone. FIBA