China will be without centre Li Yueru at the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany after her replacement passport was lost in transit and could not be reissued before the tournament. The 6-foot-7 Li was the team’s leading scorer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Li started her WNBA career in 2022 with the Chicago Sky, later spending time with the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm before being traded to Dallas in June 2025.

China open its Group D campaign on Friday against the United States and will still have significant size in the frontcourt, with 6ft 10in Han Xu and 7ft 3in Zhang Ziyu in the squad.

“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 on social media.

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“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.”

“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.

“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.”

The 27-year-old Dallas Wings player confirmed that her passport remains missing and, despite efforts to resolve the issue, she will not be available when the competition begins this week.

(with inputs from AP)

Published on Sep 03, 2026