The 1976 FIBA European Championship for Cadettes was the first edition of the European basketball championship for U16 women's teams, today known as FIBA U16 Women's European Championship.

16 teams featured in the competition, held in Szczecin, Poland from 14 to 22 August 1976.

In the first round, fifteen teams (all of them except Poland, with a bye to the Final Round as hosts) were allocated in five groups of three teams each.

The top teams of each group qualified for the Final Round.

The last two teams of each group played the Classification Round.