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The women’s 5×5 basketball competition begins Sunday, July 28 and concludes Sunday, August 11 with the gold medal game. The field features 12 national teams, divided into three groups of four teams.

Group A: Serbia, Spain, China, Puerto Rico

Group B: Canada, Nigeria, Australia, France

Group C: Germany, United States, Japan, Belgium

Group play consists of a single round-robin tournament, with the first- and second-place teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The top two third-place teams also will advance to the quarters, where, after a draw, the competition becomes a single-elimination tournament, which will begin on Wednesday, August 7. Group games will be held at Pierre Malloy Stadium in Lille, France, while Accor Arena in Paris will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games.

Here’s more on the four teams contending to advance out of Group B:

Canada

Roster: Natalie Achonwa, Kayla Alexander, Laeticia Amihere, Bridget Carleton, Shay Colley, Aaliyah Edwards, Yvonne Ejim, Nirra Fields, Sami Hill, Cassandre Prosper, Syla Swords

Making their eighth Olympic appearance and seeking their first medal is Canada, led by head coach Victor Lapeña. Four current WNBA players—Los Angeles Sparks guard Kia Nurse, Minnesota Lynx wing Bridget Carleton, Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards and Atlanta Dream forward Laeticia Amihere—will be at the forefront of the Canadians’ effort, along with former WNBA players Natalie Achonwa, a forward who played for the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx (2015-22), and Kayla Alexander, a center who spent time with the San Antonio Stars, Fever, Chicago Sky and Lynx (2013-20). A trio of collegians also are part of the Canadian team: Yvonne Ejim, the 2024 WCC Player of the Year who will return to Gonzaga for her fifth year; Cass Prosper, a rising junior forward at Notre Dame; and Syla Swords, who will be a freshman guard at Michigan.

Nigeria

Photo by Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images

Roster: Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Elizabeth Balogun, Tomi Taiwo, Ifunanya Okoro, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah, Murjanatu Musa, Lauren Ebo, Blessing Ejiofor, Solape Amusan, Rita Igbokwe, Lucy Ibeh, Adebola Adeyeye, Christeen Iwuala

The D’Tigress and head coach Rena Wakama are headed to the country’s third Olympic Games (2004, 2020), looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. Point guard Promise Amukamara, who played at Arizona State (2011-15) and was selected in the 2015 WNBA Draft, will captain Nigeria’s effort, along with several recent collegiate athletes in center Rita Ogbokwe (Pitt, Ole Miss; 2019-24), forward Elizabeth Balogun (Georgia Tech, Louisville, Duke; 2018-23), center Lauren Ebo (Penn State, Texas, Notre Dame; 2018-23), forward Solape Amusana (Illinois, Sacramento State; 2020-24), Adebola Adeyeye (Buffalo, Kentucky; 2018-23) and guard Tomi Taiwo (Iowa, TCU; 2018-23). Two current college athletes in rising junior forwards Lucy Ibeh (TCU) and Christeen Iwuala (UCLA) also are suiting up for the D’Tigress. Guard Ify Okoro will be counted on to provide leadership.

Australia

Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Roster: Alanna Smith, Cayla George, Ezi Magbegor, Isobel Borlase, Jade Melbourne, Kristy Wallace, Lauren Jackson, Marianna Tolo, Rebecca Allen, Sami Whitcomb, Stephanie Talbot, Tess Madgen

The Australians’ Olympic jaunt will be highlighted by the return of Lauren Jackson, who will represent the Opals on the Olympic stage for a fifth time, but for the first time since the 2012 Games. In addition to Jackson, head coach Sandy Brondello has a squad with the depth of talent required to improve upon a disappointing eighth-place finish at the 2020 Games and win the country’s sixth medal (bronze, 1996; silver, 2000; silver, 2004, silver, 2008; bronze, 2012). The current WNBA players representing Australia are Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith, Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor, Washington Mystics guard Jade Melbourne, Indiana Fever guard Kristy Wallace, Phoenix Mercury wing Rebecca Allen, Storm guard Sami Whitcomb and Los Angeles Sparks forward Stephanie Talbot. Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces, also is heading to Paris with the Opals.

France

Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Roster: Marine Fauthoux, Alexia Chery, Sarah Michel, Valériane Vukosavljević, Iliana Rupert, Janelle Salaün, Gabby Williams, Marième Badiane, Marine Johannès, Alix Duchet, Dominique Malonga, Romane Bernies

The host nation is participating in its fourth-straight and fifth-overall women’s basketball competition, seeking to secure a third medal (silver, 2012; bronze, 2020). Under head coach Jean-Aime Toupane, the duo of Gabby Williams and Marine Johannès will be expected to carry the hopes of the French faithful, as the pair opted not to suit up for the Seattle Storm or New York Liberty, their respective WNBA teams, during the 2024 season to prepare for an Olympic push. Iliana Rupert, who spent the 2023 season with the Atlanta Dream and was selected in the first round of the 2021 WNBA Draft, and Janelle Salaün, a rising star for EuroLeague Women runner-up Villeneuve d’Ascq, give the French the kind of promising young talent required to contend for a spot on the medal stand.

Group B schedule

Monday, July 29

Nigeria vs. Australia (5 a.m. ET)

Canada vs. France (11:15 a.m. ET)

Thursday, August 1

Australia vs. Canada (7:30 a.m. ET)

France vs. Nigeria (11:15 a.m. ET)

Sunday, August 4

Canada vs. Nigeria (7:30 a.m. ET)

Australia vs. France (3 p.m. ET)