Up to date Sept. 13, 2026, 6:56 p.m. ET
As soon as extra, Group USA is golden in ladies’s basketball.
Regardless of trailing by 14 factors within the first half, the People rallied for a cushty victory over France, 97-79, within the 2026 FIBA Ladies’s World Cup gold-medal sport on Sunday, Sept. 13, in Berlin, Germany. It was Group USA’s fifth consecutive World Cup win.
Breanna Stewart led the best way for Group USA and was named MVP after tallying 22 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists within the victory. She tied Sue Fowl as the one participant in Group USA historical past to personal 4 World Cup gold medals.
“4 World Cups? That’s tied for probably the most ever,” Group USA coach Kara Lawson mentioned. “She is USA Basketball. While you consider the final 15 years, it’s Stewie. We’re simply actually fortunate to be part of her period.”
Jackie Younger added 18 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists for Group USA, whereas Kahleah Copper scored 15 factors, and Chelsea Grey and Caitlin Clark every had 12 factors apiece.
It was the primary time France reached the gold medal sport, however it could not cease the US from successful its fifth consecutive World Cup crown. France was paced by WNBA stars Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga, who mixed for 41 factors.
Winners
USA veterans
The “Younger and Turnt” crew could also be the way forward for the U.S. ladies’s nationwide group, however the group’s skilled core of veterans proved they’re the current.
Because the People fell right into a 14-point deficit within the first half — their largest of the match — the quartet of Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Grey, Jackie Younger and Kahleah Copper put USA on their again. Stewart (20 factors, 10 rebounds), Younger (18 factors), Grey (12 factors) and Copper (15 factors) mixed for 65 factors. All 4 USA veterans performed a minimum of 27 minutes in Sunday’s gold-medal match.
Group USA featured a mixture of veterans and rising younger stars, however it was the skilled group that steadied the ship, flipped the momentum and guided the People to their fifth consecutive gold medal.
Paige Bueckers was restricted to les than three minutes within the win. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen performed lower than two minutes every. They’re up subsequent, however the likes of Stewart, Younger, Grey and Copper proved their time is now.
MVP Breanna Stewart
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Breanna Stewart received her fourth World Cup gold medal, tying Sue Fowl for probably the most in World Cup historical past. That’s not the one {hardware} she picked up. Stewart was named the 2026 FIBA World Cup MVP, changing into the primary participant to win the award twice.
“I have been lucky to play with numerous superb gamers and this group was actually particular,” Stewart mentioned. “The best way that we had been examined on and off the court docket and we continued to thrive via it, actually happy with them and excited to get this gold and convey it house.”
Stewart performed a team-high half-hour and have become the primary USA participant to report a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double in a World Cup closing. Throughout the match, Stewart averaged 12.8 factors, 7.3 rebounds and a couple of.8 assists.
Jackie Younger’s record-breaking efficiency
Jackie Younger is the one USA participant to attain double-digits in each World Cup sport in Berlin and her finest efficiency got here when it mattered most. Younger completed with 18 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists within the gold-medal sport, taking pictures 7-of-14 from the sphere and 4-of-7 from the 3-point line.
Younger was named participant of the sport.
“Not likely centered on the person accolades. I am simply making an attempt to do no matter I can to assist my group win,” Younger mentioned after the win. “And as we speak it was simply being aggressive. They’re actually bodily with us, and so I simply attempt to get to my spots and I hit just a few photographs early.”
Younger turned the primary participant in Ladies’s World Cup historical past to have 15 or extra factors, 5 or extra rebounds and 5 or extra assists in a closing.
With Group USA’s fifth consecutive World Cup medal, Younger turns into the primary participant to win a highschool state championship, NCAA title, WNBA title, Olympic 5×5 gold, 3×3 gold and World Cup gold. To place it frankly, she’s a winner.
Angel Reese’s World Cup meme assortment
In case you are unaware, Angel Reese is on a generational run with memes. She’s been (unintentionally) answerable for some pleasant WNBA moments, and she or he carried that over to the worldwide stage. Reese was completely pumped because the U.S. rolled over France, constructing a lead as excessive as 27 factors. Please have a look at the gritty face she made when the U.S. got here out within the third quarter with some hearth. It is magnificent.
She then adopted it up with a beautiful cheering second for her USA teammates as she was on the bench.
USA coach Kara Lawson and managing director Sue Fowl
With an Olympics on the People’ house soil looming, the strain was on Kara Lawson and Sue Fowl getting into this match. Fowl wanted to assemble the roster and Lawson coach it to the gold. That strain was solely amped up when A’ja Wilson pulled out of the match because of an damage.
Finally, Fowl and Lawson bought the job performed. Fowl formed a roster that featured seven gamers making their main match debut for the senior nationwide group and Lawson discovered a successful components by leaning on the veterans in key moments, then placing children in conditions the place they may succeed.
If Group USA had misplaced this match, the subsequent two years heading into the L.A. Olympics would have been filled with questions on in the event that they had been the fitting folks had been main this storied program. For now, the doubters have been silenced.
Losers
France
France’s loss possible feels extra devastating due to their historical past with Group USA and simply how efficient they had been to start out the sport.
Les Bleues misplaced to the U.S. within the 2024 Paris Olympics by one level after Gabby Williams made a protracted area objective on the buzzer that was dominated a 2-pointer as a substitute of a 3 as a result of her toe was on the road. In mild of that defeat and it being France’s first look within the ladies’s World Cup gold-medal sport, there was an understanding the competition can be emotional.
“If I am trustworthy, we’ve nothing to lose. We truly know they’re an incredible group. They received each World Cup for years and years,” France’s Marine Johannes mentioned getting into the matchup. “They’re actually gifted. Everyone knows that. We’re taking part in with these gamers all season within the W, we all know how good they’re.
“It is one sport. Nothing to lose. We’re going to play onerous, and we’ll see what occurs.”
France definitely performed onerous to start out, pulling forward 28-17 two minutes into the second quarter after an 8-0 run to open the body.
Though Group USA trailed by as a many as 14, France succumbed to a revived defensive effort and fizzled out.
France’s Gabby Williams
Gabby Williams appeared like a participant decided for revenge all match, and that continued within the first half of the gold medal sport as she shot 5-of-9 from the sphere and 3-of-5 from 3-point vary for 16 factors earlier than the break. However she was contained when France wanted her most, going scoreless within the third quarter as she completed with 20 factors.
An finish like that, mixed together with her expertise within the closing seconds of France’s Olympic loss in 2024, has to sting – however Williams took the defeat like a champion.
“Possibly in just a few days it will really feel higher. After all, we’re disenchanted proper now, however I believe we’re exhibiting little by little France as a basketball nation,” Williams mentioned. “That was my objective after I joined this group is to alter the tradition. Clearly we’ve increased expectations, however we’ll get there.”
Though France already had a ship on their shoulder and loads of younger expertise, Williams famous the long run is vibrant for the nationwide group.
“We’ve got quite a bit to be happy with, however I believe we’ll keep in mind how this feels and simply use this for motivation,” Williams mentioned.
France’s Marine Johannes
Marine Johannes mentioned France had “nothing to lose” heading into the gold-medal match towards USA. She mentioned she would play onerous and see what occurs. Johannes would possibly desires a do over as she completed with 5 factors in 23 minutes, taking pictures 1-of-6 from the 3-point line. Johannes led the complete match with 19 made 3-pointers getting into Sunday, however she was held to only one within the gold-medal sport. Frustrations appeared to boil over within the third quarter when Johannes was known as for unsportsmanlike conduct after smacking Kahleah Copper within the face. Oof.
Gamers returning to the WNBA schedule
Any WNBA participant who competed within the World Cup has to return to the league. The 2026 WNBA season resumes on Thursday, Sept. 17, which implies anybody who participated within the match has just some days to return to the US and swimsuit up for the remainder of the WNBA season.The WNBA’s slate of late-season video games begins with a Solar-Dream, Mystics-Sky and Sparks-Wings early on Sept. 17. The night time finishes with a double-header that includes Mercury-Fireplace and Storm-Aces.
Friday, Sept. 18 additionally has three matchups, together with the Indiana Fever towards Toronto Tempo, New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx and Portland Fireplace vs. Golden State Valkyries.
Followers rooting for an upset
The ultimate was what everybody anticipated: the People matching up with France. And the consequence was what oddsmakers in Las Vegas overwhelmingly predicted: Group USA successful its fifth consecutive World Cup.
Whereas there’s proof that ladies’s basketball expertise and depth is rising throughout the globe, Group USA nonetheless dominates in these main tournaments. Spain threatened on Saturday earlier than the People pulled away within the second half, and France had a double-digit lead within the first half on Sunday earlier than crumbling within the third quarter.
Any followers who had been rooting for chaos or an upset — or maybe even wagered cash on anybody however Group USA successful — had been left disenchanted on the finish of this World Cup.
