China’s 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign was supposed to begin with one of its biggest international stars ready to make an impact. Instead, Li Yueru will be watching from the sidelines after a replacement passport was lost in the mail, leaving the Dallas Wings center unable to travel from the United States to Germany before the tournament.

The timing could hardly be more dramatic. Li, 27, was expected to play a major role for China after establishing herself as one of the country’s leading international players. Now, China must open its World Cup campaign against the United States in Berlin on Friday, September 4, without the Olympic star who led the team in both scoring and rebounding at the 2024 Paris Games.

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Why Li Yueru Is Missing China’s 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup

The problem sounds almost unbelievably simple: a passport was mailed, and it disappeared.

But for an international athlete trying to enter Germany in time for a major global tournament, the consequences are enormous.

Li confirmed on social media that her replacement passport had been lost while being mailed and that it had still not been recovered. She explained that she, the Chinese Basketball Association and the national team had been working together to find a solution, but the situation ultimately could not be resolved quickly enough.

The absence is particularly difficult for Li because representing China has remained a major part of her career. She described the Chinese Basketball Association and national team as important sources of support during her years playing overseas and said she had been extremely excited about returning to the national team.

“Thank you to everyone who has been thinking of me and checking in on me. Over the past few years, I’ve maintained a great relationship with the Chinese Basketball Association and the national team. They have always been a strong source of support throughout my career overseas,” she wrote.

Li continued by explaining how much it meant to her to represent China and how disappointed she was to miss the tournament.

“The national team have always made me feel valued and wanted, and it has always been a tremendous honor to represent China. I was incredibly excited and looking forward to joining the national team again.”

Despite efforts to locate the missing document and explore alternatives, there simply was not enough time to secure another passport and get Li to Germany before the competition began. The Associated Press reported that Li would not be able to compete.

“Unfortunately, my passport was lost in the mail and still hasn’t been found. Throughout this time, we’ve all been working hard together and exploring every possible solution, but maybe we were just a little short on luck this time. As of today, the passport is still missing,” she said.

That one missing document has therefore taken a major player out of one of the biggest tournaments on the international basketball calendar.

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Li Yueru’s Olympic numbers show exactly what China is losing

For China, this is not simply the loss of another roster player.

Li was China’s leading scorer and rebounder at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Across three games, she averaged 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game, according to FIBA.

Those numbers underline why her withdrawal matters so much.

At 6-foot-7, Li brings a combination of size, interior scoring, rebounding and international experience that is difficult to replace. She has also already experienced the pressure of playing deep into major international competitions.

At the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Li helped China reach the silver medal game. Two years later, she became the team’s top scorer and rebounder at the Paris Olympics, although China ultimately finished outside the medal positions.

She had also remained involved in China’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup cycle. During the World Cup qualifying tournament in Wuhan in March, Li played five games and averaged 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.

That recent national-team involvement made her expected return to the World Cup particularly significant.

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Li Yueru’s key international basketball statistics

Tournament	Games	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Key Detail
2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup	—	—	—	Helped China reach the silver medal game
2024 Paris Olympics	3	17.7	11.0	China’s leading scorer and rebounder
2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournament, Wuhan	5	8.2	5.0	Part of China’s World Cup preparations
2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup	—	—	—	Ruled out because of lost passport

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China still has two giant frontcourt options without Li Yueru

There is, however, one huge reason China can still feel confident about its frontcourt.

Literally huge.

Li’s absence leaves a significant experience and depth gap, but China still has two exceptionally tall players available around the basket.

Han Xu is listed by FIBA at 2.05 meters, or 6-foot-9. The established Chinese international and WNBA player gives China another imposing presence in the paint.

Then there is Zhang Ziyu, one of the most intriguing young players in international women’s basketball. She stands at 2.20 meters, or 7-foot-3, giving China extraordinary size near the rim.

That does not completely erase the impact of losing Li. Her international experience, scoring ability and rebounding production are different from what Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu provide. But China still enters the tournament with a frontcourt capable of creating major matchup problems.

And those matchups are about to get serious.

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China vs USA at the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup: Why the opener matters

China’s first game comes against the United States on Friday, September 4, in Berlin, immediately putting one of the tournament’s leading teams under the spotlight.

The United States enters the competition as one of the principal favorites. China, meanwhile, arrives as one of the leading teams in women’s international basketball, making this Group D matchup one of the most significant games of the opening round.

The group also includes Czechia and Italy.

The 2026 competition format adds another layer of importance to every early result. The first-place team from each four-team group advances directly to the quarterfinals. Teams finishing second and third move into the qualification-to-quarterfinals round.

So while China has time to adjust after losing Li, there is no gentle introduction to the tournament.

The team immediately has to deal with the United States.

Without Li, China’s frontcourt rotation will have to change from the opening tip. The team’s remaining size could become an important weapon, but the coaching staff must also find ways to compensate for the scoring and rebounding production Li was expected to provide.

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Li Yueru’s WNBA career adds another layer to her absence

Li’s importance to China also comes from her extensive experience in the WNBA.

She was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the 35th overall pick in the third round of the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Her professional career subsequently took her through several WNBA organizations.

The WNBA’s official player record shows that Li was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022, moved to the Chicago Sky later that year, returned to Los Angeles in 2024, and then moved to the Seattle Storm in February 2025.

Her next move came on June 14, 2025, when she was traded to the Dallas Wings.

The Wings’ official records list Li as a 6-foot-7 center and confirm her place on the Dallas roster.

That WNBA experience has given Li the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best basketball players. At the same time, her continued involvement with China’s national program has made her an important link between international basketball and the country’s national-team setup.

Now, that experience will not be available to China in Germany.

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Li Yueru’s emotional message after missing the World Cup

While the basketball consequences are obvious, Li’s own reaction makes the situation feel even more frustrating.

There was no injury forcing her withdrawal. There was no performance-related decision. Instead, the tournament slipped away because the replacement passport needed for international travel was lost in the mail.

Li closed her message by thanking the people who had supported her and expressing her gratitude toward Chinese women’s basketball.

“Sometimes, disappointment is simply part of life. I’m sad that I won’t be able to be there this time, but I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me and continues to support Chinese women’s basketball.”

She ended with another message to her supporters:

“Thank you for all the love and support. See you on the world stage next time.”

That final line now carries a very different weight.

For China, the World Cup goes on.

For Li, it will be a tournament watched from afar.

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What happens next for China after Li Yueru’s World Cup withdrawal?

China still has an imposing roster, major international experience and enormous frontcourt size. Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu give the team two exceptional options around the basket, while the rest of the roster will now have to absorb the responsibilities Li was expected to carry.

But the circumstances of her withdrawal make the story difficult to ignore.

Li was China’s top scorer and rebounder at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She had already been part of the country’s preparations for this World Cup cycle. She had built years of international experience and had been looking forward to representing China again.

Instead, a missing passport has changed everything just days before the tournament.

The opening game against the United States now becomes an immediate test of how well China can adapt without one of its most experienced centers.

The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup begins on September 4 in Berlin and runs through September 13. China is in Group D with the United States, Czechia and Italy, with the group-stage format determining which teams advance directly to the quarterfinals and which must go through the qualification-to-quarterfinals round.

For Li, though, the immediate focus is much more personal.

The passport remains missing. The World Cup is beginning without her. And after everything she had done to prepare for another chance to represent China on the world stage, she now has to wait for the next one.

“Sometimes, disappointment is simply part of life. I’m sad that I won’t be able to be there this time, but I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me and continues to support Chinese women’s basketball.”

It is a painful ending to what should have been another major chapter in Li Yueru’s international career.

Disclaimer and Sources

This article is based on a thorough review of the verified information supplied from the Associated Press/ESPN, FIBA, WNBA and Dallas Wings, with information available as of September 3, 2026. Passport and travel circumstances can change, but Li Yueru’s withdrawal from the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is confirmed by her public statement and reporting from the Associated Press.

Sources

• ESPN / Associated Press — Li Yueru to miss FIBA World Cup due to lost passport
• FIBA — Yueru Li official player profile and international statistics
• FIBA — 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup confirmed rosters and groups
• FIBA — China team profile, 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament
• FIBA — Official China roster from the 2026 qualifying tournament
• WNBA — Li Yueru official player profile and career transactions
• Dallas Wings — Li Yueru team news

Featured Image Credit: Karakalem / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0