Head coach Mazzon says Türkiye should dream big at the 2026 World Cup

Italian head coach Andrea Mazzon assessed Türkiye’s targets ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will be held in Berlin from September 4 to 13. Mazzon said the team’s defensive performance will be decisive in advancing from Group C, where it will face Belgium, Australia and Puerto Rico.

Andrea Mazzon, the Italian head coach of the Turkish women’s national basketball team, assessed the team’s preparations and targets ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will be held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, from September 4 to 13.

The 60-year-old Mazzon said he was pleased with the working conditions provided by the Turkish Basketball Federation. He said they had everything they needed in terms of organization, facilities, the arena and training conditions. Mazzon added that they could access the arena easily and carry out their planned work without difficulty, describing these conditions as a significant advantage for the team.

Preparations continue without injury problems

Mazzon said the preparation period was progressing as planned and that the team had no injury problems. The head coach said the players were continuing their work seriously, everyone knew what they were aiming for, and their shared goal was to win as many games as possible at the World Cup.

Mazzon stressed that they needed to set ambitious targets for the tournament. He said their first and most important objective was to secure at least one win in the group stage, adding that the crossover matchups could change the outcome after that achievement.

Mazzon said facing the United States in the crossover round would be extremely difficult, but argued that Türkiye was capable of competing with any opponent. The head coach said the team had a chance, while adding that he could not say in advance whether they would be able to defeat all of their opponents.

Belgium, Australia and Puerto Rico are in Türkiye’s group

Assessing Türkiye’s Group C opponents, Belgium, Australia and Puerto Rico, Mazzon said it was not an easy group. He said Belgium had recently been one of the most successful teams in European basketball and had experience competing for championships.

Mazzon recalled that Australia had won a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games and said Puerto Rico could add American and other foreign players to its roster. He said it was not yet clear what roster Puerto Rico would bring to the tournament, adding that the team could be strengthened by several important players.

Mazzon recalled that Türkiye had beaten Canada in the qualifiers, competed against Australia until the final possession and defeated Japan. He said they had shown they could succeed against teams that had competed at the Olympic Games. The head coach said playing in a difficult group was challenging, but that they also viewed it as a major challenge.

“I feel a greater sense of responsibility”

Mazzon said Türkiye’s return to the Women’s World Cup after eight years carried great significance for him. He added that coaching the national team of another country brought greater responsibility.

Mazzon said he was proud to be the head coach of the national team and felt obliged to do his job better because he represented the people who trusted him. He said the team’s shared goal was clear in the locker room and that everyone was focused on it.

Defense is central to Mazzon’s game plan

Mazzon said he viewed the basketball the team played during the qualifying process in March as an appropriate reference point for the World Cup. He said defense would be decisive in helping the team advance to the next round.

Mazzon said offensive performance could vary from game to game, adding that he believed Türkiye could reach the second round if it maintained its concentration on defense and made the right decisions. The head coach said the team could put itself in a better position by developing its transition offense after strong defensive plays and successful stops.