USA defeats Spain 76-66 in FIBA Women's World Cup semifinal, advances to gold medal game vs. France

Team USA beat Spain 76-66 on September 12, 2026, in Berlin to secure a spot in the FIBA Women's World Cup gold medal game. The Americans will face France on September 13 at 2 p.m. ET, according to the game schedule.

USA's path to the final was sealed by a fourth-quarter onslaught. The Americans outscored Spain 18-8 in the fourth quarter, per Yahoo WNBA, converting a narrow advantage at halftime (39-36) into a decisive margin by game's end. The victory extends Team USA's World Cup winning streak to 35 games, according to reporting by Yahoo WNBA.

Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 17 points, six rebounds, one steal and one block, per Yahoo WNBA. Kahleah Copper added 13 points, while Jackie Young contributed 12 points overall, with six of those coming in the fourth quarter. For Spain, Iyana Martin and Maria Conde each finished with 17 points, per Yahoo WNBA.

The first half was marked by offensive sluggishness and precision issues on both sides. At halftime, USA led 39-36, but the Americans shot only 35 percent from the field and were 2-for-8 from three-point range. USA head coach Kara Lawson described the performance as "uncharacteristic." The team had eight turnovers in the first two quarters and missed free throws it needed to make, going 19-of-27 from the line at the break. Lawson said: "We just have to be a little more precise in coverages and where our help is. (Spain) makes you pay when you're not precise. We did get to the free throw line, but we missed more than usual."

Spain remained competitive through three quarters. The two teams were tied 58-58 after three periods, with Spain having outscored USA 22-19 in that quarter. At the three-quarter mark, Spain was shooting above 40 percent from the field, while the Americans were at 39 percent. USA had committed 14 turnovers through three quarters to Spain's 11, per Yahoo WNBA.

The gold medal game represents USA's bid for a fifth consecutive World Cup title. The matchup is a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where USA defeated France by one point. France has eight WNBA players on its roster, led by Golden State Valkyrie forward Gabby Williams, according to Yahoo WNBA. The gold medal game will air on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max.

Breanna Stewart, speaking after the semifinal win, offered perspective on the road ahead: "Just continue to do the little things. Honing in on the rebounding, making sure that we were getting to the offensive glass. Defensively, we picked it up in the second half, but you know, this is gonna be challenging. Obviously, we got the biggest one tomorrow, but that's why we're here. We're going for gold, and that's what we're gonna do."