Now that the calendar has turned to October, the world of women’s basketball is laser focused on the WNBA playoffs and the semifinal round that begins on Sunday.
But just last month, many of those same WNBA stars were in Berlin, Germany for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, a tournament that Team USA dominated … again.
The United States entered the tournament final on Sept. 13 with its performance under pressure. By the time the game ended a strong third quarter, Breanna Stewart’s all-around performance and the Americans’ deep scoring had turned a halftime deficit into a 97-79 victory over France. It was Team USA’s fifth straight World Cup championship, and it sent the title-winning roster right back to WNBA on the high of highs.
But the title game at Uber Arena was much closer than the final score showed. France led 20-18 after the first quarter and had a 45-44 lead at halftime. Team France also had a 14-point lead during the second quarter, the first time the United States had faced a double-digit deficit in any World Cup game since 2006.
But the game changed after halftime.
The United States outscored France 30-12 in the third quarter, an 18-point difference in just 10 minutes. That period turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 74-57 lead for Team USA heading into the fourth. France scored 45 points in the opening half, but only 34 in the second while the Americans scored 53 after halftime en route to the title.
“Our team, our starters — when we were down big — we didn’t fall apart under pressure ” Team USA star Breanna Stewart said.
Stewart had the individual performance of the tournament for USA. The World Cup MVP ended the final with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, making 7 of 10 shots and 8 of 9 free throws. Her 70% shooting made her scoring very efficient.
Her influence also went beyond the championship game, though. Stewart averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds during the tournament, while having an 18.8 efficiency rating. This number gives another way to measure her performance beyond points.
Jackie Young gave the U.S. another aspect with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes. Kahleah Copper scored 15 points while Chelsea Gray and Caitlin Clark each had 12. The balanced scoring gave the United States five players with double-digit points.
France relied on a lot of help from two players. Dominique Malonga was the top scorer with 21 points and six rebounds, making 8 of 12 shots. Gabby Williams added 20 points, seven assists and three steals. Together, Malonga and Williams scored 41 of France’s 79 points, about half of the team’s offense.
While the United States’ scoring was much more spread out, Stewart’s performance stood out above all else. After all, the win gave her a World Cup gold medal that matched former Team USA and WNBA star Sue Bird for the most by a player. And all the while, the United States won its 12th World Cup title.
“It starts with Stewie,” U.S. coach Kara Lawson said. “Her leadership — not tonight but throughout the whole tournament — helped to guide the younger players. Talking to them just showed them what it looks like to win.”
The championship numbers went beyond the game itself. TNT reported an average of 1.2 million viewers across the tournament, with the final broadcast reaching 1.5 million at its peak. The final was the most-watched women’s World Cup game in history, even though it was up against the start of the NFL season and the U.S. Open men’s tennis final. For comparison sake, the 2022 U.S.-China World Cup championship game had an average of 446,000 viewers on ESPN.
“It’s not this great FIBA World Cup tournament, but women’s sports coming into the spotlight in the last three or four years,” TNT Sports executive Craig Barry said in a news release, announcing the ratings.
The final, therefore, created two stories: A continued U.S. dominance that won’t soon be matched and a heaping dose of attention on international women’s basketball overall. With players like Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and Aliyah Boston gaining experience in major tournaments along with the always reliable veterans, like Stewart, the championship also gave a glimpse of Team USA’s next big goal: The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
