Down two points entering halftime, Team USA found itself in uncharted waters. But the squad persisted.

A 30-point third quarter propelled Team USA, led by coach Kara Lawson, to its fifth straight World Cup gold medal, defeating France 97-79 on Sunday to keep the streak alive. 

Entering the 2026 FIBA World Cup, Team USA had not lost a World Cup or Olympic game since a 75-68 loss to Russia in the semifinals of the 2006 tournament. The team had captured gold at the five Olympics and four World Cups since then.

But the 2026 World Cup posed a different threat. Other countries were catching up, and Team USA was feeling the pressure.

“There’s a ton of pressure, on team USA and on us and embracing that,” team captain Breanna Stewart said to The Associated Press. “Not having the team face it in a bad way, but understanding the ones that have been before us and what they’ve done. We want to continue to have success every time.”

There was a lot of talk about France—a team USA scraped by 67-66 in the 2024 Olympic gold medal game. The roster boasted eight WNBA players and a chemistry many doubted Team USA had.

Led by Gabby Williams, Marine Johannés and Dominique Malonga, Les Bleues were poised to be a serious threat to Team USA.

“I think because of their (France) experience together and who anchors that team,” Annie Costabile, a WNBA writer for The Athletic, said. “I mean, when you look at the entire roster, they have the second-most WNBA players to the U.S. They have eight WNBA players, but Gabby Williams is the head of that… I know we keep saying the U.S. is not only expected to go in and do well, but they're expected to go in and do well and dominate. But I'm just, like, not sold on that." 

For Team USA, success comes with scrutiny at every error or slip-up.

The first scare for the squad came in its second game of the tournament, where it escaped with a 55-52 victory over Italy. The doubts from outsiders continued to pour in, but a close game seemed to be what the Team USA needed to adjust accordingly.

“At the same time, at USA Basketball, we've been so used to carrying that crown, for lack of a better [word],” Sue Bird, the Managing Director of USA Women’s Basketball and nine-time gold medalist across the FIBA World Cup and Olympics, said in May of 2025. “And this is going to circle back on how I started this answer, which is [that] we always are going to get other teams' best shots. And we always know people aren't always cheering for us. And that's just a part of putting on that jersey, it's a part of the pressure, it's part of what makes it great.”

Team USA flipped the switch for the rest of the tournament. Winning their next two games by 40-plus points each, the close call against Italy seemed to have lit a fire. Despite a young roster—half of the group is under 25—players looked past the outside noise and performed at the level expected of them.

“I think the question about pressure, it’s such a privilege and honor to be here, like I don’t worry about all that,” guard Caitlin Clark said after the team’s win against China. “Like I’m just excited to go play basketball, I remain confident in what I can do. And that’s one of the first messages coach Kara told our group.”

“I think the question about pressure, it’s such a privilege and honor to be here. I don’t worry about all that. I’m just excited to go play basketball. I remain confident in what I can do. And that’s one of the first messages coach Kara told our group.”

Caitlin Clark

A close semifinal victory for the red, white and blue set the stage for the long-awaited Olympic rematch.

The first two quarters were a back-and-forth battle—one that ended with Team USA trailing at halftime for the first time all tournament. But Team USA turned it up a notch, securing a 97-79 gold medal victory.

Stewart led the way for the team, dropping 22 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field in addition to collecting 10 rebounds. Her stat line and performances throughout the tournament earned her tournament MVP honors.

“It starts with Stewie (Breanna Stewart), her leadership,” Lawson said after the win against France. “Not just tonight. Not just today. Throughout the whole tournament. Just helping to guide the younger players, talk to them, just show them what it looks like to win.”

Team USA enters the road to the 2028 Olympics with a 36-game World Cup win streak and a 72-game streak across World Cup and Olympic play. With every win, the pressure continues to pile on. But with younger players learning alongside the team’s more experienced leaders, Team USA continues to build on its winning tradition.

The target on the team’s back keeps growing with each win, but Team USA continues to rise to the expectations that come with it.

“These (other) teams are always continuing to be better, but we’re the standard,” Stewart said after the gold medal game. “We always have been.”