Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers took in her first FIFA World Cup match over the weekend.
Sidelined with an ankle sprain, the WNBA sophomore joined her teammates at AT&T Stadium in Arlington to watch the 2-2 Japan vs Netherlands group-stage draw on Sunday.
WNBA Star Paige Bueckers Reacts to FIFA World Cup Game
"They asked us to come to a game and we all said yes, of course," Bueckers told reporters. "It was the first World Cup experience that we ever got to enjoy."
However, the World Cup outing wasn't the 2025 Rookie of the Year's first-ever soccer match.
Last September, Bueckers attended an NWSL clash between Angel City and the Washington Spirit in Los Angeles, also ending in a 2-2 draw. One month later, she caught her first Premier League match as Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 at the Emirates.
But the fan support during the 2026 international tournament left a big impression. Thousands of supporters traveled from Japan and the Netherlands to cheer on their home teams.
"To see the fan support from all across the world, it was really cool," Bueckers added.
Bueckers plans to catch stars like France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi later in the tournament. However, she confirmed her primary allegiance remains with Team USA.
