Li Yueru, the 27-year-old center for China and the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, will not participate in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin after her passport was lost in the mail while in the United States [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The tournament began today, September 4, 2026, with China’s first game against the United States in Berlin, but Li cannot travel without her passport and her absence leaves the team without its 6-foot-7 star [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Li announced the situation on her Instagram on September 2, saying, "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" [1]. The Chinese Basketball Association confirmed the passport was accidentally lost during mailing in the U.S. and could not be located before the tournament’s registration deadline [5].

The 6-foot-7 Li Yueru is a key figure for China’s national team. She was the leading scorer and rebounder at the 2024 Paris Olympics, averaging 17.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game [1, 2, 4, 6]. In the WNBA, she currently averages 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in about 10 minutes per game this 2026 season with the Dallas Wings, having previously played for the Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, and Seattle Storm [1, 2, 4, 5].

Li expressed sadness at missing the tournament but gratitude to fans and teammates. She said, "The national team has always made me feel valued and wanted, and it has always been a tremendous honour to represent China. I was incredibly excited and looking forward to joining the national team again" [1]. She added, "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" [4].

Despite Li’s absence, China still fields a strong roster including 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu and 6-foot-10 Han Xu [3, 4]. The team continues its World Cup campaign without its star center.

Li is expected to return to play for the Dallas Wings on September 17 against the Los Angeles Sparks [6].