Canada names 24-athlete wheelchair basketball teams for world championships

OTTAWA (Wheelchair Basketball Canada) –  Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) is pleased to announce the 24 athletes selected to represent Team Canada at the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, taking place Sept. 9–19 in Ottawa.

The World Championships will determine the number of spots each zone will receive for the 2028 Paralympic Games.

“This group has earned its place through consistent performances, a commitment to our high-performance environment and the ability to compete at the highest level,” said WBC High Performance Director Jeff Dunbrack. “Competing in front of our home fans in Ottawa is a tremendous opportunity, and we’re excited to see this team embrace the challenge and pursue the podium together.”

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Automatically qualified as the host nation, the Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT) will return to the world stage on home soil following a bronze-medal finish at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup in Bogotá, Colombia.

Canada’s most recent World Championship podium came in 2014, when the SWNT captured gold in front of a home crowd in Toronto. The team finished fifth at the 2022 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Dubai.

In Ottawa, Canada will compete in Group A alongside Brazil, China, Great Britain, Australia and Spain. The roster features a wealth of international experience, including several members of the team that finished fourth at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

Veterans Kady Dandeneau, Melanie Hawtin, Puisand Lai, Tara Llanes, Cindy Ouellet, Tamara Steeves, Élodie Tessier and Arinn Young will be joined by Elise Froese, Rosie Long and Mercy Nyakundi, who made their SWNT debuts at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup in Bogotá.

Bethany Johnson, who made her first appearance with the SWNT at the 2023 Parapan American Games, will make her World Championship debut in Ottawa.

“We have a strong mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent, and I’m excited about what this team can accomplish together,” said SWNT head coach Joey Johnson. “Playing in Ottawa in front of our families, friends and Canadian supporters will be incredibly special, but we also know the level of competition will be extremely high. Every game will be an opportunity to test ourselves against the best teams in the world and continue to build on what we’ve accomplished over the past few years.”

On the men’s side, Canada earned automatic qualification for the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships as the host nation.

The Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) heads to Ottawa following a fourth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup in Bogotá, Colombia, and a sixth-place finish at the 2022 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Dubai.

Canada’s most successful World Championship campaign came in 2006, when Team Canada captured gold in Amsterdam. The SMNT last competed at a World Championship on home soil in 1994, earning a bronze medal in Edmonton.

In Ottawa, Canada will compete in Group D alongside Morocco, Germany and Iran.

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The Canadian roster features seven returnees from both the 2024 Paralympic Games and 2022 World Championships: Reed De’Aeth, Nik Goncin, Colin Higgins, Lee Melymick, Tyler Miller, Blaise Mutware and Garrett Ostepchuk. They are joined by Josh Brown, Ibrahim Odza, Kyrell Sopotyk and Lionel Tamoki, who made their Team Canada debuts at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup in Bogotá.

Brandon Louie will make his SMNT debut at the 2026 World Championships in Ottawa.

“We know the competition in Ottawa will be extremely strong, and we’ll have to be at our best from the opening tip. Our goal is to compete with confidence, play together and give ourselves every opportunity to challenge for a medal,” said SMNT head coach Matteo Feriani.

“Playing in a World Championship on home soil is an incredible opportunity for this group and something we’re all very proud of. We know what it means to wear the maple leaf, and representing Canada in front of our home fans in Ottawa will make this tournament even more special.”

Click HERE for full rosters