The expanded field changed the pathway
FIBA’s published system uses four groups of four, each team meeting the other three in its group. The group winner advances directly to the quarterfinals. Second and third do not follow exactly the same route: they first contest Qualification to Quarter-Finals games.
This terminology refers to a stage inside the final tournament. It should not be confused with the earlier qualifying tournaments used to select the World Cup field. A programme can therefore use the word qualification even though its teams are already playing at the World Cup.
Follow the cross-group games
The extra elimination games cross GroupsA andB and GroupsC andD. Their winners join the four group winners in the quarterfinals. A second-place group finish therefore preserves a route to the title but does not itself guarantee a quarterfinal place.
The subsequent final phase consists of quarterfinals, semifinals, a final and a third-place game. Keep the full stage label with the original match date; a third-place classification and the title game are separate programmes even when packaged in one final-day broadcast.
Use the national-team identity for an archive
The WNBA’s official tournament primer explains that many league players represent different nations at this event. A familiar club player is consequently not appearing on behalf of that club. Keep the national team and competition category in the search rather than relying only on the player’s professional-team identity.
By theNovember 2026 review date, the September schedule is archive context. Use completed official records for results rather than repeating a preview’s future tense or predicting a champion. These format sources do not establish the availability of a full replay or access through any paid IPTV service; inspect the actual publisher’s current listing.