USA vs Hungary match
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The gist
Team USA faces Hungary in a FIBA Women's World Cup quarterfinal Thursday at 5:30 a.m.
The US chases a fifth straight title while Hungary reaches its first quarterfinal in.
Background
The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is being held in Berlin, Germany, which explains the early 5:30 a.m. ET tip-off for the USA-Hungary quarterfinal. Team USA swept Group D with wins over China (94-61), Czechia (105-64) and a tight 55-52 win over Italy, and is chasing a fifth consecutive World Cup gold after winning in 2022. Hungary went 3-1 in group play, beating Japan 84-63 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years, and is led by Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhasz, who averages 15.3 points per game.
How it unfolded
- Sep 6, 2026Team USA beats Italy 55-52 in a tight group-stage game, completing a Group D sweep.
- Sep 8, 2026Hungary beats Japan 84-63 to reach the FIBA World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years.
- Sep 9, 2026Previews confirm the USA-Hungary quarterfinal is set for Thursday at 5:30 a.m. ET in Berlin.
- Sep 10, 2026Team USA and Hungary tip off their quarterfinal at 5:30 a.m. ET, the first of four quarterfinals that day.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- USA coach Kara Lawson said the team must play its best basketball starting with the Hungary game to take home a fifth consecutive gold medal.
- Analysts
- SI notes Team USA will be heavy favorites against Hungary, but its poor performance versus Italy shows the US is vulnerable.
- Party
- Hungary forward Dorka Juhasz said it will be a great game and that Hungary will bring its heart and fight.
Still unverified
SI's suggestion that the US is vulnerable to suffering its first World Cup loss since 2006 at the hands of Russia is a single-source opinion, not a confirmed fact.