Entertainment
Germany prepares to host Women's Basketball World Cup amid injury struggles
The host nation has already set a ticket-sales record for the expanded 16-team tournament despite an obstacle-filled warmup campaign.
The short version
- Germany is hosting the Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin, marking only its second appearance in the tournament.
- The German roster is depleted by injuries, including the absence of star player Satou Sabally due to a concussion.
- Despite the host team's challenging preparation, tournament organizers have already sold a record-breaking 200,000 tickets.
Key facts
- Germany is hosting the Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin, which is its first time hosting since 1998.[Associated Press]
- Star player Satou Sabally is unable to play in the tournament due to a concussion she suffered in June.[Associated Press]
- Germany suffered three consecutive warmup losses against Spain, Hungary, and Turkey leading up to the tournament.[Associated Press]
- Germany opens Group A play against Spain on Friday, followed by matchups against Japan and Mali.[Associated Press]
- Organizers have already sold more than 200,000 tickets for the expanded 16-team tournament, and the September 13 final is sold out.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains to be seen how effectively key players Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich will perform as they recover from calf and foot injuries, respectively.[Associated Press]