TNT Sports acquires FIBA World Cup rights

TNT Sports is getting back into the business of high-level professional basketball, just not with the NBA.

On Thursday, the network announced it has reached a multiyear media rights deal with FIBA, the governing body for international basketball, for exclusive U.S. English-language rights to the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, and FIBA EuroBasket 2029.

The deal will begin next week when the USA Women’s Basketball Team begins the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament on March 11 against Senegal on truTV and HBO Max. Superstars including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese are expected to make their debuts for the senior team, while other stars like Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray are also featured on the roster.

The timing of this agreement is interesting, of course, because of Paramount’s recent purchase of TNT Sports parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. As part of the purchase, TNT Sports will be integrated into Paramount and potentially combined with CBS Sports. So while it was TNT Sports that signed this deal through 2029, it’s likely Paramount who will see it through to its conclusion.

Since the termination of its NBA deal last season, TNT Sports’ basketball coverage has been limited to the college game, including the Big East and Big 12 during the regular season, and the upstart 3-on-3 women’s league Unrivaled. As usual, TNT Sports will air this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament alongside CBS Sports beginning later this month.

Prior to this deal with TNT Sports, the FIBA Basketball World Cup aired across the ESPN family of networks.

As for the upcoming qualifiers, all five USA games will be featured on linear television. The first four will be broadcast by truTV, while the fifth and final game against Spain will air on TNT.