It wasn’t the entire confidence-builder Staff USA wished because it punched its ticket to World Cup finals, however in a survive-and-advance setting, the American nationwide staff cleared the bar. It survived with Saturday’s  76-66 semifinal win over Spain.

The win in Berlin arrange an anticipated assembly in Sunday’s ultimate in opposition to France, which misplaced by just one level to the U.S. within the 2024 Olympic gold-medal recreation.

The win over Spain was Staff USA’s smallest margin in a World Cup semifinal since its profitable streak started in 2006 — the earlier smallest margin was a 12-point victory over Australia in 2010 — and the closest recreation between the U.S. and Spain since 1998 (11 factors). Whereas the U.S. led for a lot of the recreation in Berlin, Spain punched first — main by means of a lot of the first quarter — and didn’t enable the Individuals to exhale comfortably till the ultimate minutes.

Now, the U.S. turns the web page — however not with out critique. That has been true over the past two weeks of the World Cup.

For the second recreation this event, which the U.S. has constantly dominated for many years, Staff USA waited till the fourth quarter for a participant to take over and seal the win. Towards Italy in pool play, it was Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Grey. Towards Spain, it was Stewart once more. The participant with essentially the most worldwide expertise scored six of the staff’s 18 factors and added an help, steal, two offensive rebounds and drew 4 fouls within the ultimate quarter.

Breanna Stewart’s contributions helped @usabasketball punch their ticket to the #FIBAWWC Finals 🚨

She logged 16 PTS, 6 REB & 2 AST whereas going 4-6 from the sector!#USABWNT | #FIBAWWC pic.twitter.com/D70z6bOesE

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 12, 2026

Stewart led Staff USA with 16 factors, whereas Kahleah Copper and Jackie Younger added 13 and 12, respectively. Spain’s Iyana Martín, the No. 7 choose within the 2026 WNBA Draft (Portland Hearth, although she sat out this season to give attention to the World Cup) and Maria Conde (Toronto Tempo) led all scorers with 17 factors apiece.

Stewart’s late push received the U.S. the place it anticipated to be, however the Individuals may very well be thought-about underdogs heading into the finals — an nearly inconceivable thought over the previous a number of a long time. Given the Individuals’ inconsistent play and the way the French are placing collectively a number of the finest basketball they’ve ever performed, Sunday’s finals may shake up a ladies’s basketball world order that’s been firmly established for the reason that late ’90s.

France is averaging 96 factors a recreation by means of the World Cup, scoring effectively and sharing the ball nicely. It has quite a few ballhandlers and is averaging 24 assists a recreation by means of a committee strategy. The French have assisted on practically 70 % of their buckets, whereas averaging simply 11 turnovers a recreation.

France drew consideration by sinking 22 3-pointers, a FIBA document, in its group stage win in opposition to Nigeria, however that wasn’t an anomaly. By 5 World Cup video games, the French are taking pictures 44 % from past the arc, hitting 15 triples a recreation. Six gamers are hitting 40 % or higher on 3s by means of the event.

The French superior to the finals with an 86-64 semifinals victory in opposition to Germany, making 10 3s on Saturday.

In her postgame tv interview, Stewart may’ve outlined it finest (and most succinctly): “They’re a very robust staff. They’re taking pictures the s— out of the ball this event.”

Defensively, France has been stout. It held every of its opponents beneath 70 factors and has averaged 13 steals a recreation.

The U.S., in contrast, has struggled to discover a constant offensive rhythm. Towards Italy, the Individuals hit simply 1 of 12 3-pointers, and of their semifinal win in opposition to Spain, they shot 3 of 18 from past the arc. Just one participant, Rhyne Howard (1.8), is averaging a couple of 3-pointer per recreation. There additionally hasn’t been a dominant pressure within the paint, making A’ja Wilson’s absence that rather more notable.

The current historical past of this matchup — and its potential as a budding rivalry — is not possible to disregard because the French program has picked up steam in recent times, particularly with extra of the core roster taking part in within the WNBA. Whereas Staff USA may need to paint the World Cup finals as a rematch of the Olympic finals simply two years in the past, when the French practically dethroned the Individuals en path to their eighth consecutive gold, Sunday’s matchup may very well be a measuring stick for each squads.

However Stewart stated she doesn’t need that shadow of the previous to cloud their focus.

“We received that recreation. That recreation is over,” she stated. “It is a fully new recreation. Everyone has their very own issues that proceed to encourage them, however I feel that what I’ll proceed to be preaching to this staff is, we’re going to proceed to show the web page on all the pieces. That is one recreation to win the gold medal within the World Cup in Berlin, and that’s our whole focus.”

Towards Spain, the play of 1 key participant in a single ultimate quarter was sufficient to push the U.S. over the sting. Survive and advance. Towards France, there’s no advancing. It’s only one recreation — gold or bust.

For the primary time in current reminiscence, something lower than an entire recreation and its finest efficiency of the final two weeks may spell the latter for Staff USA.