IRAPUATO (Mexico) – The FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup 2026 tips off this Tuesday, June 9, at the Inforum in Irapuato, Mexico. The eight best U18 national teams in the Americas will compete for four spots in the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2027. Here is everything you need to know before the tournament begins, along with the best ways to follow all the action.
How are the groups set up?
The eight teams are divided into two groups of four:
What is the competition format?
A new competition format, approved by the FIBA Americas Board of Directors during its Mid-Term Congress in 2025, will be implemented for this edition:
Each team will play one game against every other team in their group
The first-place teams in each group advance directly to the Semi-Finals
The fourth-place teams will play in the classification games for fifth through eighth place
The second- and third-place teams will meet in the Quarter-Finals (2A vs. 3B and 2B vs. 3A)
The Quarter-Final winners advance to the Semi-Finals alongside the group winners
The four Semi-Finalists automatically qualify for the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup
What is the schedule?
Four games will be played each day throughout the tournament, except on Quarter-Finals day, when only two games are scheduled. A total of 22 games will be played. Find the complete schedule here.
Who is the defending champion?
The United States has dominated the competition, winning 11 consecutive titles. In the most recent edition in 2024, USA defeated Canada 80-69 in the Final. Argentina captured the bronze medal after defeating Brazil 73-66.
List of medalists
Year | Host | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Brazil | USA | Brazil | Cuba |
1992 | Mexico | Brazil | USA | Cuba |
1996 | México | Brazil | USA | Argentina |
2000 | Argentina | USA | Cuba | Brazil |
2004 | Puerto Rico | USA | Puerto Rico | Canada |
2006 | USA | USA | Canada | Argentina |
2008 | Argentina | USA | Canada | Brazil |
2010 | USA | USA | Brazil | Canadá |
2012 | Puerto Rico | USA | Brazil | Argentina |
2014 | USA | USA | Canada | Argentina |
2016 | Chile | USA | Canada | Brazil |
2018 | Mexico | USA | Canada | Argentina |
2022 | Argentina | USA | Canada | Argentina |
2024 | Colombia | USA | Canada | Argentina |
Medal table by country
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
USA | 12 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
Brazil | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
Canada | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
Cuba | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Puerto Rico | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Argentina | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Who is the reigning MVP?
American star Joyce Edwards earned MVP honors in the 2024 edition. In the Final against Canada, she recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while also adding 5 steals. Throughout the tournament, she averaged 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game.
Previous MVP winners include: 2022 – Kira Rice (USA) 2018 – Rhyne Howard (USA) 2016 – Lauren Cox (USA) 2014 – A'ja Wilson (USA) You can review the tournament’s statistical records below:
Which players will participate in this edition?
Final 12-player rosters will be confirmed following the technical meeting held 24 hours before the tournament begins. However, teams have already begun announcing their preliminary rosters. Check them out below:
How can I watch the games?
All games will be streamed live on FIBA’s official YouTube channel and will also be available through the game pages on the tournament’s official website. Fans can also follow the action and highlights on the official FIBA Women’s AmeriCup social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and X. Be sure to use the hashtag #U18AmeriCupW. FIBA