Team USA Erases 14-Point Deficit, Beats France 97-79 for World Cup Gold

France led by 14 points in the second quarter of Sunday's FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup final at Berlin Arena. The United States answered with a 30-12 third quarter and won 97-79 for a fifth consecutive World Cup title.

A crowd of 12,233 watched the final. The win was the 12th World Cup championship for the Americans and their 36th straight in the tournament, a run that goes back to a semifinal loss to Russia in 2006.

Breanna Stewart scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and handed out 4 assists in 30 minutes. She shot 7-of-10 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line. Stewart was named tournament MVP, an award she also won in 2018.

Jackie Young finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists and was named TCL Player of the Game.

France led 20-17 after the first quarter and 45-43 at the break. Out of halftime the Americans outscored France 30-12 in the third quarter and carried a 73-57 lead into the fourth.

Stewart said before the final that the emotional swings would settle it. France opened a 14-point lead in the second quarter, the first double-digit deficit the Americans had faced in a World Cup game since the 2006 semifinal.

"Our group, our starters especially, when we got down big, we didn't crumble under pressure," Stewart said. "[France's] run wasn't going to dictate how we were going to play the rest of the game."

France put together a 16-0 run and led 31-17, the longest run by either team in the final. The Americans had a 10-0 run of their own and led by as many as 27. The teams tied 6 times and traded the lead 6 times, and the U.S. led for 22 minutes, 1 second of the 40.

The Americans shot 56% from the field and 62.2% on 2-pointers, against 48% and 50% for France. Gabby Williams scored 16 points in the first half and 4 in the second.

Nine of the 12 Americans that U.S. coach Kara Lawson brought to Berlin were making their World Cup debuts. Stewart, Young, and Kahleah Copper were the only three who had played in the tournament before.

"Really proud of our players, they got this done," Lawson said. "In the biggest moments, they continue [to] play their best."

A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum were ruled out Aug. 31 for health reasons. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, teammates in Washington, were called up in their place. Citron made her senior national team debut in Berlin.

"I've been fortunate to play with a lot of amazing players and this group was really special," Stewart explained.

"The way we were tested on and off the court and we continued to thrive through it, really proud of them," Stewart continued.

The Americans reached the final by beating Spain 76-66 on Saturday. Stewart had 16 points in that game, Copper 13, and Young 12. France got there by beating host Germany 86-64.

Spain beat Germany 81-58 in Sunday's bronze medal game. Iyana Martin scored 22.

Stewart, Young, Williams, Martin, and Leonie Fiebich were named to the tournament's All-Star Five. Williams was also named Best Defensive Player.

The final standings ran United States, France, Spain, Germany, and Belgium through the top five, followed by Australia, China, and Hungary.

WNBA play resumes Sept. 17 after a two-week break for the tournament. The 2028 Olympics are in Los Angeles, and the next World Cup runs Nov. 26 to Dec. 8, 2030, in Tokyo.