FIBA 1327
Belgium’s calm control shows just how far the Cats have come
Even a quiet night from Emma Meesseman couldn’t hide the sheer control Belgium showed whenever they step on the floor. Emmet Ryan watched the Cats moved to 2-0 at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, as Julie Vanloo stole most of the headlines. We got to see the true maturity of Belgium as a global […]
World Cup chaos arrives right on cue in Berlin
It was a day where convention went out the window. Mali shocked Spain, Hungary ended a long wait, and Germany did likewise. All before Korea decided to give France an early fright. Emmet Ryan on a reinvigorating second day at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. After a business-like first day, where the favourites all […]
Frieda Buhner blows Group A wide open for Germany
Germany found a second wind thanks to the brilliance of Frieda Buhner to absolutely blow open Group A at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Emmet Ryan from a thriller in Berlin. Germany threw everything they had at Japan early, brutally rocking them and bringing the Max Schmeling Halle to life. Japan held it together, […]
A soaking, a sprint, and a World Cup worth the trouble
The crowd was great, the basketball was fine, the weather was awful. Emmet Ryan on his opening experience going multi-arena at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and how Spain and Germany shifted his spirits. I had to race from the Max Schmeling Halle to the Uber Arena. It was raining violently, the tram was […]
A quiet Caitlin Clark debut still gave Berlin what it wanted
We all know who they came here for There was an impressive crowd in the Max Schmeling Halle on Friday afternoon. Considering that neither USA nor China would be expected to bring much traveling support, a borderline sellout is nothing to sniff at. Of course, anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of the sport would know […]
Germany’s women’s basketball boom meets its World Cup moment
The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup is an opportunity for Germany, on and off the court. With strong ticket sales and increasingly good performances on the floor, the sport as a whole is on the rise. This is a chance to really show something special. We’re still the guts of two weeks from a ball […]
Why European basketball clubs are rejecting the spending race
Sometimes, the price of the top table is downright distasteful to a basketball club. Ambition doesn’t require excess. Increasingly in recent times, plenty of clubs are saying no thanks to the chance to join the financial arms race in European basketball. In the second part of this series, we asked if European basketball could pay […]
How the new FIBA Women’s World Cup format raises the stakes
The new format for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup will offer some teams what looks to be a reprieve but others an extra layer of risk. Emmet Ryan on the new staggered knockout format and what it means Last time out at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, only 12 teams took part but two […]
Can European basketball actually pay for itself?
It’s a simple question. Can European basketball actually pay for itself? There’s more revenue but spending has risen too. A sport being richer doesn’t always mean it is healthier. The financial cocktail that makes up any sporting entity in Europe is intriguing. When it’s a sport other than football, you can often add football money […]
Who can become the biggest threat to USA basketball?
If the USA somehow doesn’t win gold at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, it will be an all-time shocker in sports. The race to be the clear number two nation in women’s basketball is proving increasingly tasty all the same. Emmet Ryan on the battle to stand above the crowd. The consensus betting for […]
Why European basketball’s money race is accelerating
A fool and their money is easily parted. European basketball has never lacked rich owners willing to splash out for no return. What’s different about now is that more and more owners see basketball as an investment with real revenue potential. The first edition of the Sunday column after our summer break sees Emmet Ryan […]
How FIBA can win with Caitlin Clark at the Women’s World Cup
FIBA has a chance to do, in the space of just 10 days, something that both WNBA and Nike have failed to do. The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup of basketball presents the opportunity to actually convert the scale of the marketing phenomenon that is Caitlin Clark. Resources matter. At least they should. Really the […]