2026 FIBA Women's World Cup: Team USA and semifinal preview
BERLIN -- The semifinals of the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup are set, albeit with relatively few surprises.
The United State and France continued their undefeated runs with convincing wins over Hungary and China, respectively, in the quarterfinals. In the other games Thursday, Spain pounced on short-handed Australia, and host nation Germany -- playing in only its second World Cup -- upset reigning EuroBasket champ Belgium.
The host country has now made the semifinals in each of the past six World Cups, medaling in half those instances. Play will resume Saturday with the semifinals, followed by the medal rounds on Sunday.
The U.S. women are aiming for their fifth consecutive World Cup gold and 12th overall; the program has lost only one game at a major international tournament -- the World Cup and Olympics -- since 1994.
But the United States hasn't looked entirely invincible in this tournament -- it hasn't helped to be without A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum -- and it has never been more clear that the gap between the Americans and the rest of the world is rapidly closing.
Here's what you need to know about the last four teams standing. The number in parenthesis reflects the team's current FIBA ranking (last updated on April 1).
Germany (11) vs. France (2)
10:30 a.m. ET Saturday
Current Germany WNBA players:
F Frieda Buhner, Portland Fire
G Leonie Fiebich, New York Liberty
C Luisa Geiselsoder, Portland Fire
F Nyara Sabally, Toronto Tempo
Current France WNBA players:
G Pauline Astier, New York Liberty
F Valeriane Ayayi, Phoenix Mercury
G Marine Johannes, New York Liberty
G Leila Lacan, Connecticut Sun
G Carla Leite, Portland Fire
C Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm
F Janelle Salaun, Golden State Valkyries
G Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries
How do they match up:
This will be a matchup of two teams with something to prove. After getting tantalizingly close to beating the U.S. for the gold at the 2024 Olympics, France has not shied from saying it's going for it all in Berlin.
"All we care about is winning," Malonga said after France beat China. "The French national team has been known for years for like second place or semifinals, never all the way, even in EuroBasket, until now -- I feel like we have to do it. We have to make it happen."
Players credited Golden State Valkyries starWilliams for helping change the culture of the French national team to one of high standards, accountability and confidence. Players aren't just happy to be there, but instead want to win and make history as perhaps the greatest team to ever suit up for France.
France is certainly playing like a squad that could win gold, beating teams by an average of 39 points. Les Bleues are known for their defensive identity, but the group has shined offensively this World Cup, averaging 98.8 points on 53.3% shooting, including a blistering 45.7% from the 3-point arc.
Germany, meanwhile, is enjoying its best-ever finish in either of the two major international tournaments, all while being without star Satou Sabally and having to bounce back from a crushing 30-point rout to Spain to open the tournament.
In fact, Germany's quarterfinal upset over Belgium might already be the best day in the history of its women's team, multiple players said. Coach Olaf Lange said he was a little speechless with how well his team played, with six players scoring in double figures and starsFiebich (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Nyara Sabally (16 points, 12 rebounds) finishing with double-doubles.
Thursday's result alone ensures the 2026 World Cup is a success for Germany, but it has more to compete for. Multiple players were asked about the game being a rematch of the quarterfinals from the Paris Olympics -- a 84-71 France victory -- and the pain of that loss was clearly still fresh even two years later.
The Germans once more will be considered the underdogs against France but will receive a major boost from their fans, who have filled Uber Arena in droves throughout the tournament, as they look to keep making history on home soil.
United States (1) vs. Spain (6)
2 p.m. ET Saturday
Current USA WNBA players:
F/C Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
G Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
G Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
G Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
F Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
F/G Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
G Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
G Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
F Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
F Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
F Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
G Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Current Spain WNBA players:
G Elena Buenavida, Minnesota Lynx (developmental player)
C Raquel Carrera, New York Liberty
F Maria Conde, Toronto Tempo
C Megan DiLeo, Portland Fire
C Awa Fam, Seattle Storm
G Alicia Florez, Washington Mystics
How do they match up:
On Thursday, the U.S. took another step toward making its group phase scare against Italy look like an anomaly, demolishing Hungary by 52 points and setting or flirting with a litany of records.
One positive development from the quarterfinal was the way Collier came out aggressive and productive from the jump, scoring 10 first-quarter points and 19 on the game -- notably, that's her senior team personal best in scoring (besting the 12 points she scored Monday against Czechia).
The Lynx star is still working her way back from a long rehab process following double ankle surgery this offseason, but the more she plays the way she has in the past two games, the better for the Americans. She and Young -- the only U.S. player to reach double figures each game -- are now the top scorers for the Americans this tournament.
"I think just moving a lot without the ball," Collier said of how she found success Thursday. "Making sure I'm super active, getting second-chance opportunities, cutting, just playing my normal game a little bit more."
Across the board, the team felt this was its best performance of the World Cup, not only because of what it accomplished offensively but because of how it started on defense. There was also a recognition that now, 10 or so days into the tournament, the chemistry is starting to come together and players are learning how to play alongside each other even more.
All of that bodes well going into the final two days of games. That said, neither Hungary nor Czechia were the toughest of tests for the U.S. Spain -- which nearly took home EuroBasket gold the past two tournaments -- should be much stiffer competition. If over the weekend things get mucked up offensively, or the U.S. finds itself struggling more generally, all eyes will be on how the team learned from the Italy experience in how to work through adversity, both in which individuals step up and how the group comes together.
Spain, which features a litany of current and former WNBA players, had a perplexing loss to Mali on the second day of its group phase, but it features an intriguing mix of experienced vets and young talent that've propelled it back to within reach of a fourth medal in the past five World Cups.
The unit took down Australia with a well-rounded effort that included six players scoring at least nine points. But to knock off the Americans, it feels as if Spain will need to have breakout games from its 20-year-old pair of Iyana Martin andFam, the former a Portland Fire first-round draft pick and the latter a Seattle Storm rookie.
