{
  "id": 7225523,
  "title": "US fight off spirited France to win 12th World Cup",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/us-fight-off-spirited-france-to-win-12th-world-cup",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-14T02:28:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2026/09/1532333/us-fight-spirited-france-win-12th-world-cup"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Berlin witnessed the United States clinch their record-extending 12th Women's Basketball World Cup title, defeating a tenacious France side with a final score of 97-79. The American team, perennial favorites, had not lost a World Cup match since 2006, but they were initially below par in the tournament. However, they made a remarkable comeback in the second half, outscoring the Europeans 30-12 in the third quarter. Breanna Stewart, the team's veteran, led the charge with a game-high 22 points, along with 10 rebounds and four assists, becoming the first player to win MVP twice. The coach, Kara Lawson, hailed Stewart as the \"greatest winner\" the team had seen. Jackie Young contributed with four crucial threes and 18 points, extending the US's winning streak to 36 consecutive matches. Despite a shaky start, the US team turned things around, committing 16 turnovers and silencing the pro-France crowd. France, making their debut in the World Cup final, sought revenge for their narrow 2024 Paris Olympics loss to the US. However, they struggled to maintain composure and committed numerous mistakes. Gabby Williams scored impressively with 16 points in the first half, but her contributions dwindled afterward.",
  "summary": "BERLIN: The United States won the women’s basketball World Cup for a record-extending 12th time, defeating a spirited France 97-79 thanks to an excellent second-half in the final in Berlin on Sunday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "US wins fifth straight women’s FIBA World Cup title, beating France 97-79",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/us-wins-fifth-straight-womens-fiba-world-cup-title-beating-france-97",
        "published": "2026-09-13T19:56:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "US wins fifth straight women's FIBA World Cup title, beating France 97-79",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/us-wins-fifth-straight-womens-fiba-world-cup-title-beating-france-97-7166811",
        "published": "2026-09-13T20:17:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Forbes",
        "title": "USA Wins Gold, Fifth Consecutive FIBA World Cup Medal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/usa-wins-gold-fifth-consecutive-fiba-world-cup-medal",
        "published": "2026-09-13T20:34:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "USA defeat France to win 12th FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/usa-defeat-france-to-win-12th-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup",
        "published": "2026-09-13T21:12:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Breanna Stewart leads Team USA to fifth straight World Cup gold medal with win over France",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/breanna-stewart-leads-team-usa-to-fifth-straight-world-cup-gold-medal",
        "published": "2026-09-13T21:23:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}