MIES (Switzerland) - A 28-strong pool of referees has been selected to officiate at the upcoming FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin, Germany.
Chosen after being put through a rigorous preparation and selection program, the criteria was based on recent performance metrics. These covered key areas such as tactical awareness, the process behind decisions, teamwork, collaboration and mental resilience.
There is plenty of experience within the group. Twenty-seven of the referees participated in the Continental Cups last year, while 14 of the nominated referees were selected for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. All 28 referees have officiated at a World Cup at either the senior or youth level.
There will be eight female referees at the event, while a total of 11 referees will step out at a FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time. The average age is 37 years, with more than 10 years of FIBA experience on average.
Carl Jungebrand, FIBA Head of Refereeing, stated: "The referee selection and preparation process started at the end of 2025 and since then, we have been closely monitoring referees.
"This included performance at major events, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments, and both of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups.
"One of our key criteria in terms of selection has been a focus on current peak performance. This is extremely important to us in order to provide the best referees available for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup."
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 will take place from September 4 to 13. For the full game schedule, click here.
FIBA