Sports 3 min read By Callum Montgomery
USA Beat France to Win FIBA World Cup Gold
Team USA defeated France 97-79 to claim the FIBA World Cup gold medal, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament and securing a fifth consecutive podium finish. Captain Breanna Stewart was named MVP.
Team USA have won the FIBA World Cup gold medal after beating France 97-79 in the final, maintaining their undefeated record throughout the tournament. The victory marks a fifth consecutive World Cup medal for the American side and confirms their continued dominance of the women's international game.
Breanna Stewart, the team captain, was named tournament MVP after leading the United States through an unbeaten campaign. Her performances across the competition set the tone for a squad that arrived among the favourites and delivered under pressure in the decisive match.
The final against France was the culmination of a tournament in which the USA never lost. France, who had impressed on their run to the gold-medal game, were unable to close the gap in the closing stages as the Americans pulled away to an 18-point win. The result extends a remarkable sequence for USA Basketball at this level and underlines the depth of talent available to the national programme.
For Stewart, the MVP award adds to an already decorated international career. As captain, she combined scoring output with leadership responsibilities, guiding a roster that blended experienced campaigners with newer faces. The gold medal is the headline achievement of the tournament for the United States, but the manner of the victory — unbeaten from start to finish — is likely to be remembered as much as the final score.
France's silver medal represents a strong tournament for the French programme, which reached the final before meeting the tournament's outstanding team. The defeat will be a disappointment, but a runner-up finish at a World Cup is a significant result and offers a platform for the squad to build on in future competitions.
The outcome reinforces the established hierarchy in women's international basketball, where the United States have now claimed medals at five successive World Cups. That run of consistency reflects both the strength of the domestic game and the ability of the national team set-up to produce winning sides across different generations of players.
Attention will now turn to how the result shapes the wider international calendar. For USA Basketball, the gold medal is a validation of their preparation and selection. For France and the other leading nations, the gap to the top remains the central challenge. The final score of 97-79 suggests the Americans were comfortable winners on the night, but the tournament as a whole demonstrated the growing competitiveness of the international field.
Stewart's MVP recognition places her at the centre of the story, but the gold medal is a team achievement built on an unbeaten run. The United States leave the tournament with the trophy, the individual honour and a record that will be difficult for rivals to match in the years ahead.
