FIBA tournament announcement hints at Caitlin Clark’s return date

Caitlin Clark has been busy hitting the golf course of late, but definitely does not mean she’s edging away from basketball — in fact, fans might have just gotten a glimpse at her potential return date to the 5×5 game by way of a recent FIBA announcement.

The World Cup Qualifying Draw took place on October 7, but that news was largely overlooked by a lot of basketball media. That’s likely because many WNBA fans are unfamiliar with FIBA tournaments and events, despite the fact that there are definitely WNBA players participating in those events.

The qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 11-17. Clark previously hinted at playing as a member of the team, so it’s reasonable to believe this could be the first time fans can see her back on the court since she suffered a series of injuries that put a stop to her 2025 season with the Indiana Fever.

Team USA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Schedule

Team USA will play their first game on March 11 when they go head-to-head with Team Senegal — and will turn around and play hosts Puerto Rico the following day. They’ll meet Italy on March 14, and then take on New Zealand on March 15 and Spain on March 17.

Those games will provide a lot of opportunities for fans to see what Clark looks like, assuming she is on the team.

The tournament will also serve as coach Kara Lawson’s first true test at the helm of Team USA. Lawson is currently the head coach at Duke, and is taking over Team USA responsibilities from Cheryl Reeve. Training camp for the qualifiers will likely be held in early March 2026. The United States previously qualified as one of the top 6 teams in the Americup tournament, but could still play in the qualifiers. The FIBA World Cup will take place in Berlin, Germany, from September 4-13, 2026.

The 2025 season left Fever fans wanting more

Clark only played 13 games during the 2025 season and suffered a series of injuries that began with tightness in her left quad and transitioned to a full-blown left groin injury. She averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, an 5.0 rebounds, a sign that 2025 could have been a strong year.

Clark spent several weeks attempting to make a comeback to the floor, but her final game of the season for the Fever ended up being played on July 15. Her ankle injury suffered on August 7 ultimately stopped her from being able to test out her groin, and as a result, she continued to fulfill her role as a bench coach for the team for the rest of the season.