France and Italy women's basketball teams prepare for World Cup

The French and Italian women's national basketball teams are preparing for the upcoming FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany, scheduled to begin on September 4.

The French team is currently training at INSEP, where 12 players are already present. They will be joined by eight WNBA players who have chosen to interrupt their seasons to represent France. These players include Leïla Lacan, Valériane Ayayi, Janelle Salaün, Gabby Williams, Carla Leite, Pauline Astier, Marine Johannes, and Dominique Malonga.

As part of their preparations, France and Italy will face each other in friendly matches at INSEP in Paris. The first match is scheduled for August 27, with a second meeting on August 28. The Italian squad, led by coach Capobianco, consists of 14 athletes, though they will soon be joined by Cecilia Zandalasini following her WNBA season. The historical rivalry between the two nations includes 94 previous encounters, with France holding a slight edge of 51 wins to Italy's 43.