The United States and France will meet in the final of the Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin on Sunday, reprising their dramatic encounter at the 2024 Paris Olympics, after both sides secured semifinal victories on Saturday. The Americans defeated Spain 76-66 in a tense contest, while France ended the host nation Germany's run with a commanding 86-64 win earlier in the day.

The USA, 11-time world champions and holders of a 35-match winning streak at the tournament stretching back to a semifinal loss to Russia in 2006, were pushed hard by an ambitious Spanish side. Spain built an eight-point lead early and, after the Americans had edged ahead through the middle quarters on the back of 16 points from Breanna Stewart and 13 from Kahleah Copper, clawed back to level the scores at 58-58 entering the final period. The packed Berlin crowd of 12,650 sensed an upset, but experience proved decisive: the USA opened the fourth quarter with a 12-2 burst to regain control and close out the win. Spain's best-ever World Cup result remains their runners-up finish in 2014, also against the Americans. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, one of the most high-profile names in women's basketball, endured a difficult night, finishing with just one point under intense Spanish defensive pressure.

France's path to a first-ever World Cup final was more assured. Led by a commanding performance from Gabby Williams — the US-born forward who plays for the French national team — they dominated Germany across four quarters. Williams finished with 22 points, five assists and four steals, and admitted afterwards she was