FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 took place in Berlin from September 4 to 13, turning the German capital into the center of global women’s basketball for ten days.
The USA and France emerged as the finalists from the world’s 16 best national teams, with the Americans claiming their fifth straight title and 12th overall. The tournament became another major international event supported by 1xBet, the exclusive FIBA Global Betting Partner.
USA’s road to final
Drawn into Group D, the Americans beat China, Italy, and the Czech Republic to secure a direct spot in the quarterfinals. Their toughest group game came against Italy, ending in a narrow 55-52 win.
In the playoffs, Team USA crushed Hungary by more than 50 points and defeated Spain in the semifinals thanks to a strong fourth quarter. The final against France remained tight until the third quarter, when the USA built a 16-point lead heading into the last 10 minutes. Experience prevailed, and the Americans sealed a 97-79 win. A fifth straight world title cemented Team USA’s place among the greatest in women’s basketball history.
Breanna Stewart was the tournament’s biggest star, becoming the first player to win the World Cup MVP award twice. Jackie Young and Kahleah Copper also stood out, setting the pace for the team at key moments.
France rewrites history
France achieved its best-ever result at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, having previously won bronze back in 1953.
In the semifinal, France beat host Germany by 22 points. Gabby Williams was the team’s key player throughout the tournament, scoring 42 points in the final two games alone.
Spanish spirit
The third-place match provided no intrugue for Spain: a comfortable 81-58 victory over Germany secured the third bronze medal in the national team’s history. Before that, in the semifinal clash against the USA, the young squad stayed close throughout most of the game and lost by just 10 points. Spain is banking on a young generation, and a third-place finish at the World Cup is a strong statement.
Since 2010, Spain has played in four World Cups and reached the podium every time, winning three bronze medals and one silver.
Balance of power is shifting
This World Cup clearly showed that the gap between teams continues to narrow. France reached the final for the first time, host Germany finished in the top four, and Spain won another medal. Defending champion USA went unbeaten but faced strong resistance from Italy, Spain, and France. The level of competition is rising, and the days when the Americans could cruise to victory seem to be ending.
1xBet and FIBA: basketball without borders
1xBet is the exclusive FIBA Global Betting Partner. The agreement covers men’sб women’s, and 3×3 basketball. For the brand, tournaments like this are a chance to be part of one of the year’s biggest sporting events and support basketball’s growth worldwide.
Berlin will remember this World Cup for a long time. At the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2030 in Tokyo, we can expect an even tighter battle for the medals.
