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Team USA women's basketball reaches FIBA World Cup final, Kara Lawson cites 9/11 anniversary ahead of France showdown

Team USA's women's basketball program advanced to the FIBA Women's World Cup final with a 76-66 win over Spain in Berlin on Saturday, putting the Americans one victory from a fifth consecutive world title and their…

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NewsMV Markets Desk
3 min read
13 September 2026Markets desk
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Key takeaways

  • Team USA women's basketball beat Spain 76-66 in Berlin on Saturday to reach the FIBA Women's World Cup final.
  • A win Sunday would give the U.S. a fifth consecutive world title and twelfth overall, and extend a World Cup winning streak that stands at 35 games.
  • Breanna Stewart led the U.S. with 16 points, Kahleah Copper added 13, and Jackie Young had 12 in the semifinal comeback.
  • The final pits the U.S. against an unbeaten France in a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic gold-medal game, which the U.S. won 67-66.
  • Coach Kara Lawson said winning on the weekend of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks would carry meaning beyond the game and help create unity across the country.

Team USA's women's basketball program advanced to the FIBA Women's World Cup final with a 76-66 win over Spain in Berlin on Saturday, putting the Americans one victory from a fifth consecutive world title and their twelfth overall. Coach Kara Lawson said winning on a weekend framed by the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks would carry meaning beyond the game itself. Sunday's championship matchup against France is the next event to watch.

The result required a fourth-quarter comeback. Spain tied the semifinal at 58 entering the final period, and the Americans responded by holding Spain to eight points while running a 12-2 stretch to close it out. Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 16 points. Kahleah Copper added 13, and Jackie Young finished with 12. The win extends the Americans' World Cup winning streak to 35 games, a run that traces back to a semifinal loss to Russia in 2006.

The France rematch

France arrives in Sunday's final unbeaten in the tournament and moved ahead of the United States in FIBA's final power rankings after group play. The matchup is a direct rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic gold-medal game, which the U.S. won 67-66 after France's Gabby Williams stepped on the three-point line on a buzzer shot, reducing it to a two-point basket. France is appearing in its first World Cup final. The French reached it by defeating host Germany 86-64 in the other semifinal.

Lawson joined USA Basketball as a player at 17 and went on to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. The September 11, 2001, attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Americans held remembrance ceremonies on Friday, one day before the semifinal. Lawson called the anniversary a "powerful memory" that stays with the team beyond a single day. She said she hoped the squad is "creating unity across our country" through how it plays and represents the United States. USA Basketball selected Lawson in 2025 to lead the national program through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Guard Paige Bueckers said her Christian faith has been her "rock" and "foundation" throughout the tournament.

The championship game in Berlin is Sunday.

Categoryworld

Filed via foxnews.com

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Frequently asked

When and where is the World Cup final being played?

The championship game is Sunday in Berlin.

How did Team USA come back against Spain?

Spain tied the game at 58 entering the fourth quarter, but the U.S. held Spain to eight points and ran a 12-2 stretch to close out the 76-66 win.

How did France reach its first World Cup final?

France arrived unbeaten in the tournament and beat host Germany 86-64 in the other semifinal.

Why did Kara Lawson mention the 9/11 anniversary?

She said winning on the weekend of the attacks' 25th anniversary would carry meaning beyond the game and called the anniversary a "powerful memory" that stays with the team, expressing hope the squad is creating unity across the country.

What is Kara Lawson's role with USA Basketball?

USA Basketball selected Lawson in 2025 to lead the national program through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics; she joined as a player at 17 and won an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.