Basketball, FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024: Preview, schedule and stars to watch (2024)

The time is now for women’s basketball teams looking to compete at Paris 2024.

From 8-11 February, 16 teams will participate in four global FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (WOQTs) - to determine which countries will make up the field for the Olympic Games.

Despite already being assured of places in Paris, hosts France and 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup winners the United States will be among the 16 with the other 14 teams battling for the remaining 10 quota spots in the 12-strong competition.

In the groups with France and the USA, the top two teams will obtain Paris quota spots. The top three will secure quotas in the other two groups.

With so much at stake, and a string of stars set to return for national duty, below Olympics.com summarises the key things you need to know about the tournaments.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.

FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024: Groups and teams

Following a draw conducted on 5 October 2023, 16 teams - qualified through various routes - were split into four tournament groups.

WOQT 1: Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

1. Puerto Rico (PUR)
2. People’s Republic of China (CHN)
3. New Zealand (NZL)
4. France (FRA)

WOQT 2: Antwerp, Belgium

1. Senegal (SEN)
2. United States (USA)
3. Belgium (BEL)
4. Nigeria (NGR)

WOQT 3: Belem, Brazil

1. Brazil (BRA)
2. Germany (GER)
3. Serbia (SRB)
4. Australia (AUS)

WOQT 4: Sopron, Hungary

1. Spain (ESP)
2. Hungary (HUN)
3. Canada (CAN)
4. Japan (JPN)

FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024: Schedule in full

Thursday 8 February

WOQT 1 - Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

• PUR v FRA - 08:30 GMT
• CHN v NZL - 11:00 GMT

WOQT 2 - Antwerp, Belgium

• SEN v NGR - 17:15 GMT
• USA v BEL - 19:45 GMT

WOQT 3 - Belem, Brazil

• GER v SRB - 20:00 GMT
• BRA v AUS - 23:00 GMT

WOQT 4 - Sopron, Hungary

• ESP v JPN - 15:30 GMT
• HUN v CAN - 18:00 GMT

Friday 9 February

WOQT 1 - Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

No scheduled games

WOQT 2 - Antwerp, Belgium

• NGR v USA - 17:15 GMT
• BEL v SEN - 19:45 GMT

WOQT 3 - Belem, Brazil

No scheduled games

WOQT 4 - Sopron, Hungary

• CAN v ESP - 14:30 GMT
• JPN v HUN - 17:00 GMT

Saturday 10 February

WOQT 1 - Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

• FRA v CHN - 08:30 GMT
• NZL v PUR - 11:00 GMT

WOQT 2 - Antwerp, Belgium

No scheduled games

WOQT 3 - Belem, Brazil

• AUS v GER - 20:00 GMT
• SRB v BRA - 23:00 GMT

WOQT 4 - Sopron, Hungary

No scheduled games

Sunday 11 February

WOQT 1 - Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

• NZL v FRA - 08:30 GMT
• PUR v CHN - 11:00 GMT

WOQT 2 - Antwerp, Belgium

• BEL v NGR - 15:45 GMT
• SEN v USA - 18:15 - GMT

WOQT 3 - Belem, Brazil

• SRB v AUS - 20:00 GMT
• BRA v GER - 23:00 GMT

WOQT 4 - Sopron, Hungary

• CAN v JPN - 14:00 GMT
• ESP v HUN - 16:30 GMT

FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024: Top stars in action

With Paris 2024 berths on the line, all countries have done their utmost to recruit their best for the WOQTs.

Below are just a handful of the big names expected to suit up across the three days.

Diana Taurasi (USA)

Not content with the five Olympic gold medals already in her cabinet, Diana Taurasi will be a part of Team USA's roster for Belgium

Having missed the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup, the 41-year-old's return to the international arena is highly anticipated notwithstanding the history she could write.

If Taurasi does make the national squad bound for Paris 2024, where the US is looking to win its seventh consecutive gold, she could become the most decorated team athlete of all time in the French capital.

Before that, she is in the squad facing Nigeria, Senegal and hosts Belgium. With Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner also back in the fold, Team USA will be expected to make a statement of intent to the rest of the world.

Lauren Jackson (AUS)

Another Olympic veteran taking part in the WOQTs is Australian superstar Lauren Jackson.

The power forward had established herself as one of the all-time greats before retiring due to a succession of injuries in 2016. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

But six years after quitting the sport, Jackson made a surprise comeback to play at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup on home soil and helped secure her nation a bronze medal.

Now she is part of the Opals' 12-woman roster seeking a quota spot, 24 years after making her Olympic debut at Sydney 2000. She will be 43 in Paris should the team make it there.

Satou Sabally (GER)

Germany are a team on the up and go to Brazil hoping to make their first women's Olympic basketball tournament.

Much depends on Satou Sabally who plays for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.

The 25-year-old was voted the league's Most Improved Player last season and finished fifth in Most Valuable Player voting.

Having finished sixth at the 2023 FIBA Women's EuroBasket without Sabally, the Germans are expecting big things with the forward back on board.

Marine Johannes (FRA)

The last time Marine Johannes played for France in a major tournament was at Tokyo 2020 with injury ruling her out of the 2022 World Cup. But the 29-year-old returns to the national side as a genuine star.

The shooting guard as a key part of the New York Liberty's run to last season's WNBA Finals, where they went down 3-1 to the Las Vegas Aces.

An ace ball handler with the ability to hit three-pointers, Les Bleues will be delighted to have Johannes back ahead as they prepare to welcome the world for the Olympic Games later this year.

FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024: How to watch live?

All games from the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will be available to stream live on FIBA's Courtside 1891.