U.S. Advances to FIBA World Cup Final with Win Over Spain

Breanna Stewart scored 16 points and Kahleah Copper added 13 as the U.S. defeated Spain 76-66 on Saturday. This victory propelled the team to the championship game of the women’s FIBA World Cup. The Americans will face France in the final, replicating the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game, which the U.S. won by a single point.

The U.S. team has achieved 35 consecutive victories in the World Cup since their last loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. A win in the upcoming final would secure the fifth straight tournament title for the U.S., equaling the former Soviet Union’s record for the most consecutive championships.

Despite dominating previous games, the U.S. faced challenges against Spain, struggling to find offensive rhythm. Breanna Stewart played a crucial defensive role, guarding Spain’s Iyana Martín during the game held in Berlin on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 58. However, the U.S. managed to score 12 of the next 14 points, marking their largest lead at 70-60 with 5:20 remaining. Spain could only close the gap to eight points for the rest of the game.

The U.S. capitalized on their time at the foul line, converting 27 of 35 free throws. This match marked the first World Cup meeting between the teams since the U.S. defeated Spain for the gold medal in 2014, which was Breanna Stewart’s debut with the national team.

Spain demonstrated a strong start, scoring nine of the first ten points, creating the largest deficit the Americans faced this tournament. This surpassed the three-point deficit against Italy in a prior 55-52 victory. Trailing 16-9, the U.S. newcomers managed to close the first period with a 12-2 run.

Although the Americans gained a slight advantage, they struggled to expand their lead in the second quarter. Spain’s physical defense led to multiple fouls, influencing the game’s flow. The U.S. attempted 27 free throws in the first half, making 19, against 26 total field-goal attempts. They led 39-36 at halftime.

Spain, set to compete against host Germany in the bronze medal game on Sunday, continued to challenge the U.S. until the final moments.