A'ja Wilson and Laeticia Amihere in the World Cup

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Former Gamecock A’ja Wilson and current Gamecock Laeticia Amihere will participate in the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup beginning Wednesday night. 

The World Cup officially tips off on September 22 in Sydney, Australia, but due to the time difference, it begins on September 21 in the eastern time zone of the United States and Canada.

Wilson will be making a quick turnaround after winning the WNBA Championship Sunday and attending a parade in Las Vegas Tuesday. Her teammates Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum, plus Connecticut players Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones, will also have little rest. Thomas and Jones arrived in time for one practice before the first game, but it is unlikely the Aces players will be available for the first game.

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The late addition of Wilson and company was expected, but it still meant five players had to be cut from the USA roster just days before the World Cup began. Aliyah Boston, the only college player invited to tryouts this year, was among those late cuts. She was already in Sydney and had participated in a pair of scrimmages. It would have been Boston’s first appearance on the senior national team. Wilson will be making her third appearance, following the Tokyo Olympics and 2018 World Cup. 

Amihere played for Team Canada in the Tokyo Olympics and has been part of the senior national team since 2017. This is her first World Cup. 

Team USA is seeking its fourth consecutive gold medal at the World Cup, and sixth in seven years. The Americans have medaled in every World Cup since 1979 (11 tournaments). Canada has never won the World Cup, and its best finish is a pair of bronze medals in 1979 and 1986.

Team USA is in Group A with Belgium, China, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Puerto Rico, and South Korea. Team Canada is in Group B with France, Serbia, Japan, Mali, and host Australia.

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How to Watch

All games are broadcast on ESPN networks. Dates and times are eastern time.

Wednesday, September 21

• USA vs Belgium – 9:30 pm (ESPN+)
• Canada vs Serbia – 11:00 pm (ESPN+)

Thursday, September 22

• USA vs Puerto Rico – 8:30 pm (ESPN+)

Friday, September, 23

• Canada vs France – 4:00 am (ESPN+)

Saturday, September 24

• USA vs China – 12:30 am (ESPN2)

Sunday, September 25

• Canada vs Japan – 6:30 am (ESPN+)

Monday, September 26 

• USA vs Korea – midnight (ESPN2)
• Canada vs Australia – 6:30 am (ESPN+)

Tuesday, September 27

• USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – midnight (ESPNU)
• Canada vs Mali – 2:00 am (ESPN+)

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Wednesday, September 28

• Quarterfinals

Thursday, September 29

• Quarterfinals (continued)
• Semifinals

Friday, September 30

• Semifinals (continued)
• Bronze medal game – 11:00 pm (ESPN+)

Saturday, October 1

• Gold medal game – 2:00 am (ESPN+)

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