USA 97, FRA 79
The USA (6-0) won their fifth consecutive and 12th overall World Cup with a 97-79 win over France (5-1) in the gold medal game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup at Berlin Arena.
With 12 gold medals, the USA now have twice as many as any other team (USSR, 6). The fifth consecutive title matches the feat achieved only once before (USSR, 1959-1975). The USA have improved their World Cup win streak to 36 consecutive games.
USA-France box score | Watch USA postgame press conference
POSTGAME NOTES
It’s All Takin’ and No Givin’: France got out to a hot start in the first half behind hot shooting and 8 3-pointers. The French led 31-17 after taking a 13-0 run to start the quarter. The U.S. clawed their way back to close to a 43-45 deficit – the narrowest halftime margin in World Cup history – entering halftime when Caitlin Clark connected on a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left. The USA relied on the veteran leadership of Jackie Young (13 PT, 3 REB, 4 AST), Breanna Stewart (12 PT, 5 REB) and Chelsea Gray (10 PT, 2 REB, 3 AST) to get back into the contest.
The U.S. maintained momentum into the third quarter, carrying a 15-2 run from the 45-second mark of the second quarter and taking the lead for good (49-47) on a Stewart layup with 7:43 to go in the third. After giving up the most points for a half in the tournament in the first, the U.S. held France to 34 in the second half while recording 54 themselves.
Diamond in a Rhinestone World: Tournament MVP Stewart led the USA – as she has all tournament long – to tie Sue Bird for the most World Cup titles (4) by an American and improved to 26-0 in World Cup play. Tonight, she was the third player with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance in a World Cup final with game highs of 22 points and 10 rebounds along with 4 assists. She led 5 Americans in double-figures including Young (18), Kahleah Copper (15), Clark (12) and Gray (12). Her 6-game averages were team-bests of 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie: Young was the only U.S. athlete to score 10+ points (12.3 ppg) in all 6 contests and hit her tournament-best in the first half with 13 points (12, 3X). She finished the game with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, becoming the first player to combine for 15+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a Women's World Cup final. She tied the record for 3-pointers in a final with 4 (M. Moore, 2014; F. Wang, 1994).
Young is the first basketball player to win a high school state championship, an NCAA title, a WNBA title, a 5x5 Olympic gold medal, a 3x3 Olympic gold medal and a FIBA World Cup gold medal.
Saying Something About a Queen: Stewart (22, 10) and Young (18, 6) are the second pair of USA teammates with 15+ points and 5+ rebounds in a Women's World Cup final, joining Lisa Leslie (17, 9) and Tamika Catchings (16, 11) in 2002.
Gray (12, 5) and Young (18, 5) are the first pair of teammates with 10+ points and 5+ assists in a Women’s World Cup Final.
After the Gold Rush: Nine players became first-time World Cup champions in Berlin, including Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Clark, Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, Kiki Iriafen, Angel Reese and Young.
Young and Collier joined Copper, Gray and Stewart, as well as 44 other USA Women’s National Team members, as Olympic and World Cup champions.
Coat of Many Colors: Prior to starting as an assistant coach with the USA Women ahead of the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup, Kara Lawson was a coach in the USA 3x3 National Team program. As a head coach at the 3x3 senior level, Lawson owns a 2020 Olympic women’s gold medal and 2019 Pan American Games men’s and women’s gold medals. She is the first coach in USA history to own head coaching gold medals at both the 3x3 and 5-on-5 levels. Assistant coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White became first-time gold medalists in Berlin.
What's Next
FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup (Men and Women) | Sept. 15-19 | More Info
A game recap will be published on usab.com.
Important Links: USA Basketball Media Information | USA Basketball Photo Portal