France Beat Germany to Reach First Women’s Basketball World Cup Final

France made history on Saturday by reaching the Women’s Basketball World Cup final for the first time after defeating hosts Germany 86-64 in Berlin.

The French side, Olympic silver medallists, remained unbeaten at the tournament and produced a strong second-half performance to pull away from a determined German team playing in front of a passionate home crowd.

Gabby Williams led France with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals, delivering another outstanding all-round performance as her team secured a place in Sunday’s final.

Germany made a strong start and stayed within two points at the end of the first quarter, giving the home supporters hope of another upset after their surprise quarter-final victory over European champions Belgium.

France, however, gradually took control of the contest. The French opened the second half with a nine-point run and established a significant advantage that Germany struggled to overcome.

The hosts committed more than 20 turnovers as France’s physical defence and offensive quality increasingly dictated the game. Marine Johannès and Janelle Salaün also played important roles as the French side maintained its advantage through the final period.

The victory represents a landmark achievement for France, who had never previously reached the final of the Women’s Basketball World Cup. Their best previous finish was a bronze medal at the 1953 tournament.

France will now play for their first world title in Sunday’s final in Berlin. They entered the tournament as Olympic silver medallists after losing the 2024 Paris final to the United States by a single point.

The United States were due to face Spain in the second semi-final, with the winner set to meet France in the championship game.

For Germany, the defeat ends an historic run at their home tournament but leaves them with an opportunity to claim their first World Cup medal in the bronze-medal game.

France, meanwhile, will attempt to complete their breakthrough tournament by winning their first Women’s Basketball World Cup title.