Breanna Stewart led the way as the United States overcame an early 14-point deficit to beat France 97-79 and claim a fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup title.
Key Highlights:
- Breanna Stewart scored 22 points and was named FIBA Women's World Cup MVP for the second time.
- The United States defeated France 97-79 to win its fifth straight World Cup title.
- The U.S. has now won 36 consecutive World Cup games, dating back to the 2006 semifinals.
- Jackie Young added 18 points as the Americans overcame a 14-point deficit before dominating the second half.
Stewart Leads USA to Another World Cup Triumph
The U.S. captain once again delivered when it mattered most, scoring 22 points as the Americans defeated France 97-79 on Sunday to secure their fifth consecutive FIBA Women's World Cup title.
The victory extended the United States' remarkable World Cup winning streak to 36 games, with their last defeat coming against Russia in the semifinals of the 2006 tournament.
"We are the standard," Stewart said after the victory. The triumph also earned Stewart her second World Cup MVP award, while taking her personal collection of World Cup titles to four.
France Stuns USA With Early 14-Point Lead
Despite the comfortable final score, the Americans had to fight for this one. France produced its strongest challenge of the tournament, racing to a 14-point lead in the second quarter. The French opened the period with 11 consecutive points, capped by a Gabby Williams 3-pointer, to move ahead 31-17.
The U.S. responded through Stewart and Jackie Young, gradually cutting into the deficit before Caitlin Clark buried a 3-pointer just before halftime. That shot reduced France's lead to just 45-43 at the break.
"I think we felt really good about where we were at," Clark said after scoring 12 points. "We dug ourself a hole, but we climbed out of it, and I felt like we were never rattled by anything."
USA Turns the Game Around After Halftime
The momentum shifted decisively after the break. The Americans opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run, turning a two-point halftime deficit into a 54-47 lead. Stewart contributed four points during the burst as the U.S. finally began to pull away.
France briefly reduced the gap to 55-51, but the Americans responded with a devastating 16-3 run. The surge included two unsportsmanlike fouls against France on the same play and sent the U.S. into the fourth quarter with a commanding 73-57 advantage.
France could not mount another comeback, allowing the Americans to cruise through the final period and secure another gold medal. Stewart finished with 22 points, while Young contributed 18.
36 Straight World Cup Wins and Counting
The latest championship further underlined the extraordinary consistency of the U.S. women's national team. The Americans have now won 36 consecutive World Cup games, stretching back to their semifinal defeat against Russia in 2006. They also improved to 9-0 in World Cup gold-medal games since finishing runner-up to the Soviet Union in 1983.
Yet this tournament had looked more challenging for the U.S. than many of the previous editions. A narrow three-point win over Italy in pool play was the closest any team had come to the Americans in the group stage in 50 years. Their 10-point semifinal victory over Spain was also the closest semifinal contest during their current winning streak.
Before the final, the Americans had been winning their previous four medal-round games by an average of 26 points. None of that mattered in the end. Once again, the U.S. finished the World Cup exactly as it had in the previous four tournaments — as champions.
Young Roster, Veteran Leadership
This was the second-youngest World Cup roster the United States has ever sent to the tournament, with several players making their national-team debuts. Among them were Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, all featuring at a World Cup for the first time.
But when the pressure peaked, it was the team's experienced stars who stepped forward. Stewart led from the front, while Young provided another key scoring contribution as the U.S. recovered from its early struggles and took control after halftime.
The result showed that even with a younger group of newcomers entering the program, the U.S. still had the veteran leadership and composure required to deliver on the biggest stage.
France Claims Best-Ever World Cup Finish
For France, the defeat was painful but historic. The silver medal represents the country's best-ever finish at the Women's World Cup, although the result will inevitably bring back memories of another narrow defeat to the United States.
France had also lost to the Americans by just one point in the 2024 Paris Olympic gold-medal game, and that result was still fresh in the minds of the French players two years later. Dominique Malonga led France with 21 points, while Williams finished with 20.
The French ultimately fell short again, but their run to the final marked a significant milestone for the program. Meanwhile, Spain defeated host nation Germany to claim the bronze medal.
For the United States, however, the destination remained unchanged: another World Cup title, another gold medal and another chapter added to one of the most dominant runs in international basketball.
