The United States are world champions once again. A devastating third-quarter display transformed a tight contest into a commanding 97-79 victory over France in the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup final at Berlin Arena on Sunday, securing a fifth consecutive gold medal and tying the Soviet Union's all-time record of five straight titles set between 1959 and 1975.
For 20 minutes, France believed. Les Bleues carried a 45-43 lead into the halftime break, having outscored the Americans 31-17 in a pulsating second quarter led by Dominique Malonga and Gabby Williams. The crowd of 12,223 sensed a historic upset — France's first World Cup medal since the tournament's inception in 1953 was already assured, but a gold seemed within reach.
Then the United States pressed a gear that no other team in the world can match. Outscoring France 30-12 in the third quarter, the Americans produced a relentless run that turned the final on its head. Breanna Stewart set the tone, attacking the rim with authority while Jackie Young drained three-pointers from the wing. By the time the dust settled, the United States held a 73-57 lead, and the outcome was effectively decided. The American advantage peaked at 27 points before France managed a late consolation surge to close the gap.
"We are the standard," Stewart told TNT after the game. "We always have been, and we are continuing to do that, especially with this gold medal."
Stewart was magnificent throughout. The 31-year-old finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists — a stat line that earned her the tournament's MVP award for the second time after also winning it in 2018. Two free throws inside the opening 20 seconds moved her to fifth on the United States' all-time World Cup career scoring list with 288 points. She also became only the second player in history to win four consecutive World Cup gold medals, matching former teammate Sue Bird.
"I relied on her a lot in this tournament because we had so many new people," head coach Kara Lawson said. "But the thing that I appreciate about her the most is her willingness to do anything to help the team. It's so rare in a player of her caliber. She will play any position for us to win, and that quality is why she's the greatest winner that we've had, probably. She is USA basketball."
Young complemented Stewart with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, earning the Final MVP award after becoming the only American to score in double figures in all six tournament games. Chelsea Gray added 12 points and five assists, while Caitlin Clark — making her World Cup debut — contributed 12 points on four-of-five shooting in 13 minutes off the bench.
The victory underscored the depth of a squad that navigated the tournament without A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, both absent for health reasons. It also showcased the arrival of a new generation. Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers all made their World Cup debuts, learning what it means to wear the Stars and Stripes on the biggest stage alongside Stewart and veteran guards.
France, to their enormous credit, made the final a contest for longer than most expected. Malonga led all scorers with 21 points on eight-of-twelve shooting, while Williams — her former UConn teammate — was everywhere with 20 points, seven assists and three steals. Williams was named the tournament's Best Defensive Player after averaging 2.8 steals per game.
"Of course, we're disappointed right now, but I think we're showing little by little that France is a basketball country," Williams said. "That was my goal when I joined this team: to change the culture. Obviously, we have higher expectations, but we'll get there."
The silver medal was France's first World Cup medal of any color since 1953 and a testament to the progress the program has made. Spain defeated host nation Germany to claim bronze earlier on Sunday.
Stewart, Young and Williams joined Germany's Leonie Fiebich and Spain's Iyana Martín in the tournament's All-Star Five. For Stewart, the award capped a career that now includes two Olympic gold medals, two World Cup MVP awards and an unbroken streak of never losing a major international tournament game dating back to 2006.
The United States have now won 36 consecutive World Cup games. Their dominance shows no sign of waning.
Sources
https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba/2007772/usa-overwhelms-france-to-win-the-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/ https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usa-vs-france-box-score-180001373.html https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/article/team-usa-gold-world-cup-stewart-mvp-france-score-22429106.php
