After looking shaky at times in Berlin, the Americans used a dominant second half to pull away from France for a 97-79 win in Sunday's final at the 2026 Women's World Cup. Team USA has now won five consecutive World Cup titles and a record 12 overall. France had to settle for the silver medal -- their best-ever finish at the World Cup -- while Spain took home the bronze after crushing the hosts Germany in the third-place game early on Sunday.
Before we turn our attention back to the WNBA, which will resume its 2026 season on Sept. 17, let's take a look at some of the winners and losers from the World Cup. This one is obvious, but that doesn't make it any less true. Team USA lost A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum days before the World Cup started, had seven players making their World Cup debut on the roster and dealt with real stress against Italy, Spain and France (in the first half).
And the Americans still walked away undefeated with a fifth consecutive World Cup title. This was the fifth World Cup title in a row for Team USA, which has tied the Soviet Union for the most consecutive golds, and the Americans' 12th title overall. This was the 36th consecutive victory at the World Cup for Team USA, which has not lost at the event since the semifinals in 2006.
In fact, between the World Cup and the Olympics, the Americans have won 72 consecutive games at major international tournaments. The 2006 World Cup is the last time Team USA has not won gold at the World Cup or Olympics -- a 20-year run of total dominance. Here are a few facts about Team USA and this World Cup: If no one could beat Team USA at this tournament, when will it happen?
The 2028 Olympics are going to be on American soil, and moving forward, the World Cup will take place in November and December, which benefits American players, fewer and fewer of whom play overseas after the WNBA season ends. By the 2032 Olympics and 2034 World Cup, the likes of Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Olivia Miles and JuJu Watkins will be in their primes with plenty of international experience. The rest of the world has made significant strides over the last few years, and France and Spain, in particular, will only continue to get better.
But given Wilson's last-minute departure and the lack of experience for Team USA, this felt like another country's best chance to knock off the Americans for a while. Look up the definition of a winner in the dictionary, and you'll find a picture of Breanna Stewart. Stewart, who made her Team USA debut at the 2014 World Cup when she was still at UConn, has never lost a game in the red, white and blue.
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