The 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup takes place in Santiago, Chile, from June 28 to July 6, with all games hosted at Santiago’s Centro de Deportes Colectivos features ten national teams, split into Group A and Group B, playing a round-robin in preliminaries, followed by quarterfinals, semis, then classification and medal games .
Group play: June 28–July 2
Quarterfinals: July 4
Semis: July 5
Notably, the champion earns a direct berth into the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, while the top 6 secure spots in the World Cup qualifying tournaments
- June 28
- 11:40 – El Salvador vs Canada (Group A)
- 14:10 – Argentina vs Brazil (Group A)
- 17:40 – Colombia vs Puerto Rico (Group B)
- June 29
- 11:40 – Dominican vs El Salvador
- 14:10 – Canada vs Argentina
- 17:40 – Mexico vs Chile
- June 30
- 11:40 – Argentina vs Dominican Rep
- 14:10 – Brazil vs Canada
- 17:40 – Colombia vs Mexico
- 20:10 – Puerto Rico vs USA July 1
- 11:40 – Dominican vs Brazil
- 14:10 – El Salvador vs Argentina
- 17:40 – Mexico vs Puerto Rico
- July 2
- 11:40 – Brazil vs El Salvador
- 14:10 – USA vs Mexico
- 17:40 – Canada vs Dominican Rep
- 20:10 – Puerto Rico vs Chile
- July 3 – Rest day
- July 4 – Quarterfinals (all day)
- July 5 – Semis, 5–8 classification
- July 6 – Final placements, bronze & gold medal games (20:10 local)
Brazil enters as the defending champion, having won the last AmeriCup in Mexico 2023
Team USA is sending a young, collegiate-focused roster due to the ongoing WNBA season (sbnation.com). This developmental squad is packed with talent and promise, led in part by South Carolina sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, whose back-to-back accolades have made waves.
- Height: 6’3″, Freshman All‑American, SEC First Team
- International credentials:
- 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup MVP, 14.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG)
- 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup All-Tournament Five
This will be her third consecutive summer with USA Basketball, aiming for a third gold in as many years .
- Madison Booker (Texas) – Seasoned junior, team USA, multiple age-group golds
- Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Flau’Jae Johnson (LSU), Olivia Miles (TCU), Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt) – all bring NCAA All‑American pedigree (sbnation.com)
- Others: Kennedy Smith, Grace VanSlooten, etc. (sbnation.com)
Kara Lawson (former Duke coach, Olympic gold medalist as player & assistant) leads, with Jennie Baranczyk and DeLisha Milton-Jones assisting .
Brazil won the last two AmeriCups (2021, 2023) and remains a powerhouse (fiba.basketball, reddit.com, online.flippingbook.com). The roster features experienced pros alongside emerging talents—including Gamecock alumna Kamilla Cardoso and incoming freshman Ayla McDowell.
- Position: Center, 6’7″
- 2023 AmeriCup MVP – 20 PPG, 11 RPG vs USA in final (
- Also MVP of 2022 South American Championship (14.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG) (
- First-current WNBA player on squad (Chicago Sky); excused for AmeriCup (
- Height/Position: 6’2″ wing
- Dual-national (Brazilian-American, Gamecocks signee)
- Played in Brazil’s U18 AmeriCup 2024, exhibition WNBA games; preliminary roster for 2025 (on3.com)
Other key names
- Damiris Dantas – WNBA veteran, experienced Brazilian international
- Coach: Pokey Chatman (ex-WNBA), highly respected tactician (
Group A Opponents
- Argentina – South American rival
- Canada – growing contender
- Dominican Republic & El Salvador – underdogs
Group A game schedule:
- Jun 28 – vs Argentina (14:10 ET)
- Jun 30 – vs Canada (14:10 ET)
- Jul 1 – vs Dominican (11:40 ET)
- Jul 2 – vs El Salvador (11:40 ET
The USA vs Brazil matchup—potentially in semis or finals—could be the tournament’s highlight. Brazil beat Team USA in the 2023 final (69–58), with Cardoso dominating (en.wikipedia.org). This tournament presents:
- A chance for Brazil to repeat
- A debut for a youthful USA to avenge that loss
Other notable matchups: Brazil–Argentina, USA–Puerto Rico.
- Joyce Edwards is a linchpin for Team USA—expect heavy minutes and leadership.
- Kamilla Cardoso anchors Brazil’s interior, bringing game-changing size & production.
- Ayla McDowell, though a freshman, has the chance to step onto the senior stage.
Seeing these three Gamecocks representing top national teams is a testament to the program’s talent pipeline.
- Live streaming available via FIBA’s Courtside 1891 (subscription) and FIBA YouTube for many games (s
- Frequent coverage from USA Basketball, GamecocksOnline, Brazilian CBB, and FIBA Bleacher-Style recaps
Aiming to prove that even a collegiate squad can compete with elite international teams. Key factors: depth, versatility, athleticism, and overcoming physicality.
Brazil
Hunting a 3rd straight title. Veterans like Cardoso, Dantas, and emerging McDowell give Brazil a dominant frontcourt and championship experience.
Medals & World Cup Spots
Top 6 qualify for World Cup qualifiers; champion qualifies outright. Both USA and Brazil are well-positioned to get there, with Canada and Puerto Rico also lurking.
- Gold Medal Favorites: Brazil, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico
- Finals Prediction: USA vs Brazil
- Storylines to watch:
- How Joyce Edwards fares against FIBA veterans
- Cardoso’s battle against USA’s post players (Booker, Edwards)
- McDowell’s transition from youth to senior stage
- Freshman All‑American, SEC First-Team, U18 MVP, U19 All-Star
- Expect ~15–20 PPG, 7–10 RPG
- 2023 AmeriCup MVP, game and tournament finisher
- Will dominate the paint, key for Brazil’s title defens
- Dual-national, 2024 U18 experience, potential bench gain (on3.com)
- Could provide perimeter energy and role minutes
- World Cup Qualification – Direct slot for winner; top-six earn qualifiers
- USA Basketball Development – A window into college talent facing international challenges
- Brazilian Dynasty – Chance for a three-peat under veteran leadership
The next nine days in Santiago aren’t just a tournament—they’re early chapters in these players’ careers:
- For Joyce Edwards, it’s a proving ground and potential springboard
- For Kamilla Cardoso, it’s a stage to cement legacy and contend on both international and WNBA fronts
- For Ayla McDowell, it’s a first big-time test as a freshman and dual-national
As these Gamecocks take their talents to South America, the world will be watching. Will Brazil’s green-and-gold reign continue? Can USA’s young stars rise amid pro power? One thing’s for certain: Santiago is set to deliver drama, passion, and basketball at its highest level.
