The United States women's basketball team defeated Spain 76-66 on Saturday, Sept. 12, to advance to the FIBA World Cup championship game. The victory in Berlin sets up a final against France, a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game which the Americans won by a single point.
The U.S. reached the semifinal after defeating Hungary 108-56 in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Sept. 10. That game established several tournament records, including the most points ever scored in a World Cup knockout game and the most assists in a knockout round with 31. Napheesa Collier led the U.S. in the quarterfinals with 19 points, while the team shot 59% from the field.
In the semifinal match against Spain, Breanna Stewart led the U.S. scoring with 16 points, and Kahleah Copper added 13. The game remained tied at 58 at the start of the fourth quarter before the Americans executed a 12-2 run to take a 10-point lead. Spain, which had led 9-1 early in the first quarter, was unable to close the gap to less than eight points for the remainder of the contest.
The game was characterized by a physical Spanish defense that led to frequent foul calls. The U.S. attempted 35 free throws, making 27 of them. In the first half alone, the U.S. took 27 free throws compared to 26 field-goal attempts. The Americans led 39-36 at halftime before pullng away in the final period.
For the players involved, the tournament serves as a primary platform for international competition between Olympic cycles. The U.S. team has now won 70 consecutive major international games when combining Olympic and World Cup play. The physical nature of the semifinals, where the U.S. relied heavily on free throws for scoring, demonstrates the high-intensity defensive style common in international FIBA play compared to domestic leagues.
The tournament also impacts international basketball federations and host nations. Germany, the host of the 2026 tournament, reached the semifinals for the first time by defeating Belgium, ensuring the host nation has reached the final four in six consecutive World Cups. Spain will move to the bronze medal game against Germany on Sunday, Sept. 13. The gold medal final between the U.S. and France is also scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 13, concluding the tournament that began on Sept. 4.