USA Women Make History Again
The USA women’s basketball team has secured their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The Americans beat France 97-79 in the final in Berlin on September 13, 2026.
This was the 12th World Cup win for the United States. The win also continued a remarkable run of World Cup dominance for the US. The team has now won 36 straight World Cup matches – its last loss was to Brazil in the 2006 semifinals.
France Start Strong
The Europeans got off to a fantastic start to the final. They seized the initiative early on and applied pressure to the USA.
France was 20-17 leaders at the end of the first quarter, but then stretched their advantage to 14 points during the second quarter.
Gabby Williams was a key contributor for France in the first half. She helped set the tone with timely shots and intense play.
But the USA stood without a panic. Americans offsetly minimized the lag before a break.
On the other hand, Caitlin Clark nailed a three at the buzzer before the intermission to make it 45-43 in France’s favor.
USA Take Control After Halftime
The third quarter completely changed the match.
The USA finished the second half on an 11-2 run. That gave the Americans an instant 54-47 lead.
Stewart was huge in the comeback. Her scoring and rebounding helped the USA take control of the game.
Additionally, Jackie Young had a good game. She scored 18 points, added six rebounds and handed out five assists in the final.
The USA pulled further ahead. On the last day of the third quarter, the Americans were out in front 73-57.
France failed to pull off a second rally in the final quarter. The US took the momentum and went on to finish off the game with a 97-79 win.
Breanna Stewart Wins MVP
Breanna Stewart was one of the biggest stars of the tournament. She scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds in the final. Her input played a part in the USA earning yet another World Cup title.
Stewart was also awarded the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup MVP. With that honor, she became the first two-time recipient of the World Cup MVP.
Additionally, she emerged as one of the pivotal figures in the USA’s most recent quest for a crown. During the competition, she posted an average of 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Caitlin Clark Adds Important Impact
Caitlin Clark How important was Clark for the USA
Clark scored 12 points in the finale and added an important three-point shot at the buzzer to break at the intermission. Her presence on the floor kept the Americans within striking distance as France held the lead in the game.
This also was Clark’s first FIBA Women’s World Cup, so that was a pretty special moment for her as well. She’s coming into this with a lot of young players and a new wave of American players.
Fifth Straight World Cup Title
The latest championship adds to the impressive USA World Cup story.
The Americans have now claimed five successive World Cup titles and 12 titles overall. They made it back-to-back World Cup wins for the first time since 2007 when they won a third in a row.
Runners-up (to first time finalists) France With its World Cup final debut, France was the runner-up. Hosts Germany secured the bronze medal with victory over Spain.
The tournament in 2026 also broke an attendance record. According to FIBA, 236,015 fans came to games in Berlin and the average attendance was 6,556.
A New Chapter for USA Basketball
Another World Cup victory for the women’s team.
That win is a testament to how talented American women’s basketball players are. Seasoned veterans, including Stewart, joined a host of newer faces to make another successful run.
The 2026 World Cup is one more Olympic-style win for the US team.
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