Breanna Stewart has done it again.
The USA Basketball star was named the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup MVP, becoming the first player in FIBA Women’s World Cup history to win the award twice. She previously earned MVP honors in 2018.
Stewart’s latest MVP performance came as Team USA rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat France 97-79 in Sunday’s championship game at Berlin Arena.
The victory gave the United States its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s World Cup championship and 12th overall. The five straight titles match the Soviet Union’s previous record for consecutive World Cup championships.
🇺🇸 Stewart Saves Her Best for the Biggest Stage
Stewart finished the championship game with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line.
She averaged 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists throughout the tournament while posting an 18.8 average performance efficiency rating, according to FIBA.
But the championship game wasn’t easy.
France jumped on the Americans early and eventually built a 14-point advantage, taking a 45-43 lead into halftime. France’s 21-2 run in the first half briefly put Team USA in serious trouble.
Then everything changed.
The Third Quarter Changed Everything
| Quarter | USA | France |
| 1st | 17 | 20 |
| 2nd | 26 | 25 |
| 3rd | 30 | 12 |
| 4th | 24 | 22 |
| Final | 97 | 79 |
The Americans erupted for a 30-12 third quarter, turning a two-point halftime deficit into a commanding lead.
That 18-point swing was the turning point.
By the fourth quarter, Team USA had taken complete control.
⭐ Team USA Gets Major Contributions
Stewart wasn’t alone.
Jackie Young delivered 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Kahleah Copper added 15 points. Chelsea Gray scored 12 and also dished out five assists.
Caitlin Clark also finished with 12 points, while Aliyah Boston scored seven and Napheesa Collier added six points and seven rebounds. Angel Reese contributed three points and three rebounds.
France was led by Dominique Malonga, who scored 21 points, while Gabby Williams finished with 20 points and seven assists.
👑 Two-Time MVP
Stewart’s accomplishment deserves special attention.
She was already the 2018 World Cup MVP, when she helped Team USA win its third consecutive championship. FIBA’s statistics from that tournament show Stewart averaged 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field.
Eight years later, she has returned to the top of the international game.
2018: World Cup MVP
2026: World Cup MVP
And now she’s the first two-time FIBA Women’s World Cup MVP.
🇺🇸 “We Are the Standard”
Following the championship, Stewart made it clear that Team USA isn’t satisfied simply with continuing its winning streak.
“We are the standard,” Stewart said following the victory.
That statement perfectly captures what this generation of USA Basketball has accomplished.
The Americans have now won 36 consecutive World Cup games, while their combined Olympic and World Cup unbeaten streak has reached 20 years.
And Stewart has been at the center of that dominance for years.
🐐 Is Breanna Stewart the Greatest of Her Generation?
That’s the question this championship raises.
Stewart now has another World Cup MVP, another World Cup gold medal and another signature performance on her résumé.
She’s already won at virtually every level of international basketball, and her latest accomplishment puts her in rare historical territory.
The debate over the greatest women’s basketball players ever will always include names like Diana Taurasi, Lisa Leslie, Sue Bird and others.
But Breanna Stewart has now created an international résumé that is almost impossible to ignore.
And at 32 years old, the story isn’t necessarily finished.
