USA defeat France to win 12th FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup

What the report says

The United States won the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, beating France 97-79 to claim a record-extending 12th title. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the Americans trailed at halftime before taking control with a decisive third quarter and finishing strongly to preserve their long unbeaten run in the tournament.

Breanna Stewart led the U.S. with 22 points, while Jackie Young added 18, including several key three-pointers. Caitlin Clark, who had a quiet semifinal, contributed 12 points in the final. For France, Gabby Williams started well and scored 16 points in the first half, but the team could not maintain its early momentum in its first World Cup final.

The result extended Team USA’s dominance in the competition, with the article noting that the side has not lost a World Cup game since 2006 and has now won 36 straight tournament matches. France entered the final after an impressive run, including a semifinal victory over Germany, and was aiming to build on its narrow loss to the United States in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game.

Spain won the bronze medal earlier on Sunday with an 81-58 victory over Germany. The win further underlines the United States’ position as the most successful team in women’s World Cup basketball, while also showing that France is emerging as a serious challenger on the international stage.