Li Yueru to miss FIBA World Cup after passport lost in mail

Dallas Wings center Li Yueru will miss the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup after her passport was lost in the mail, preventing her from traveling to Germany to represent China. The 27-year-old announced the news on social media on September 2, stating that despite efforts to find a solution, the document had not been located in time for the tournament, which begins on September 5. Li explained that her passport was lost in transit and could not be reissued before the competition. "Unfortunately, my passport was lost in the mail and still hasn't been found," she wrote. "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." She expressed her disappointment, noting that representing China has always been a tremendous honor and that she was incredibly excited to join the national team again. The absence is a significant blow to the Chinese squad. Li was the team's leading scorer and rebounder at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she averaged a double-double of 17.7 points and 11.0 rebounds. She also played a key role in China's silver medal finish at the 2022 FIBA World Cup.