Breanna Stewart Leads Team USA to Gold in Berlin
For the first time in years perhaps even decades Team USA entered a major women’s basketball tournament with genuine questions surrounding its ability to win gold. Those questions were answered Sunday.
Led by captain Breanna Stewart, the United States defeated France 97-79 in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup final in Berlin, Germany, extending its dominance on the international stage and securing another gold medal despite facing more adversity than usual throughout the tournament.
Stewart finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game, earning World Cup MVP honors after carrying an inexperienced American roster through one of the most challenging tournaments Team USA has faced in years.
The victory also added another remarkable achievement to Stewart’s résumé. She now owns four NCAA championships, three WNBA titles, three Olympic gold medals and four World Cup gold medals, tying Sue Bird for the most World Cup championships in history.
Team USA Faced Unusual Doubts
The Americans arrived in Berlin without veterans A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, who were late scratches before the tournament. France, meanwhile, entered the championship game with plenty of confidence after nearly defeating the United States at the 2024 Olympics.
Team USA did little to quiet the concerns during group play. The Americans narrowly defeated Italy by three points, producing one of the closest calls the program had experienced in years. A tight semifinal victory over Spain only intensified the feeling that this might finally be the tournament when the United States failed to reach the top of the podium.
A loss would have been historic. Team USA had not failed to win the World Cup since 2006 and had lost only once in the event since 1994. France appeared determined to change that history.
Stewart Provided the Leadership Team USA Needed
About 24 hours before the final, Stewart sat at a news conference and discussed the challenge awaiting her team against France. While the circumstances surrounding Team USA had created plenty of outside noise, Stewart projected a quiet confidence. The following day, she returned to that same spot with an American flag draped around her and a gold medal around her neck.
Her performance against France demonstrated why. Stewart scored 12 points in the first half, helping keep the Americans within striking distance during a difficult opening stretch. France eventually took a 14-point lead in the second quarter, marking the first time Team USA had faced a double-digit deficit in a World Cup game since the 2006 semifinal the program’s last loss in the tournament.
Instead of unraveling, the Americans responded. Stewart continued to make winning plays on both ends of the court as Team USA gradually regained control and pulled away after halftime. Her contributions throughout the tournament went far beyond her scoring.
Stewart led the United States in scoring at 12.8 points per game, rebounds at 7.3 per game and efficiency rating at 18.8. She anchored the defense, facilitated the offense and frequently took on point-guard responsibilities when the situation demanded it.
A Young Team Learned From Its Veterans
Stewart’s importance was especially significant because of how inexperienced this American roster was. Only three players Stewart, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper had previously played in a World Cup. Seven of the 12 players had never represented the senior national team in a major tournament.
That made Stewart’s leadership just as important as her production. After the narrow victory over Italy, Stewart noticed several younger players in the weight room looking stunned by what had just happened. She used the moment as a teaching opportunity, reminding them that adversity does not necessarily determine the outcome of a tournament.
She shared a story from her first World Cup in 2014, when the United States lost to France in an exhibition game before going on to win the tournament. The message was simple: stay the course. The young Americans did exactly that. Their ability to absorb Stewart’s experience became crucial as the tournament progressed, particularly when France built its 14-point advantage in the final.
Veterans Rose to the Occasion
Stewart did not win the championship alone. Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Rhyne Howard and Napheesa Collier all made important contributions against France as the United States battled through its largest challenge of the tournament.
Together, the veterans helped steady a group that had never experienced this level of international pressure. That balance between experience and youth ultimately became one of Team USA’s greatest strengths.
The United States entered the tournament with more questions than usual. By the time the final buzzer sounded, those questions had been replaced by another gold medal.
The Next Generation Is Already Learning
Eventually, the responsibility of carrying Team USA will be handed to the next generation. Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston are among the young stars who have now experienced winning alongside Stewart and learned firsthand what it means to represent the United States on the biggest international stage.
But Stewart does not appear ready to hand over the reins just yet. Her career with USA Basketball has already spanned more than a decade, and her latest World Cup performance further strengthened the argument that she belongs among the most accomplished winners in basketball history.
For Stewart, there is still more to accomplish. Asked during the television broadcast whether she could return with this group for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Stewart did not hesitate. “Oh yeah, see you in L.A.!”
After surviving a tournament that exposed vulnerabilities rarely seen from Team USA, Stewart and the Americans once again finished exactly where they expected to be on top of the world.
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