Olympic basketball enters the semifinals today, with a red-hot Team USA taking another important step toward seizing their eighth-straight Olympic gold.
After soundly defeating Nigeria 88-74 in their quarterfinal, the US cruised to a comfortable 83-64 win over Australia this morning to reach Sunday's gold medal match. Plus, they got the job done by recording double-digit wins throughout the Paris tournament.
The last time the US failed to make an Olympic gold medal game was in 1992, when they last suffered any defeat at the Olympic level.
Team USA extends Olympic win streak with semifinal victory
The victory gave the US their 60th straight win at the Olympic Games, once again showcasing depth and talent from every player on the roster.
After finishing pool play with an impressive +58 point differential, the team's dominance has continued in the knockout rounds.
The reigning Olympic champions pushed the margin even further against Australia, with their lead ballooning to 30 points early in the fourth quarter.
France vs. Belgium will decide gold medal match
The US must now wait to find out their gold medal opponent later this afternoon, and today's second semifinal could bring even more fireworks when it tips off at 3 PM ET.
Host nation France will take on Belgium, a team with a wealth of fans traveling to Paris to cheer on their national team.
France has appeared self-assured throughout the Olympic tournament, with a pool play loss to Australia their only blemish thus far. But Belgium has looked similarly dangerous, with their only loss coming at the hands of the US in the group stage.
Belgium forward Emma Meesseman set a new record for consecutive 20-point Olympic performances with seven, a stat that dates back to the Tokyo Games. France, however, should feel confident in their attempt to better their bronze medal finish in Tokyo, relying on Marine Johannes's sharpshooting combined with Gabby Williams's stellar overall play.
How to watch Sunday's Olympic gold medal game
With 60-straight wins behind them, the US has only one game left between them and historic Olympic glory. They'll go for gold against either France or Belgium on Sunday at 9:30 AM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Today’s Olympic basketball tilt could be Team USA’s toughest yet, as the US faces a Belgian side they barely defeated less than six months ago.
Compared to Team USA’s Olympic dynasty, Paris is just the second Summer Games for seventh-place Tokyo finisher Belgium, with today marking their first time facing the eighth-straight gold medal-hunting USA on an Olympic court.
Team USA hopes to rewrite Olympic qualifier rematch
At February’s Olympic qualifiers, the US eked out a nail-biting 81-79 win over Belgium, needing a clutch Breanna Stewart buzzer beater to get the job done. The 2023 EuroBasket champions held the US to their tightest scoreline in years, draining 12 threes while Team USA went 4-for-19 — the same statline they posted against Japan on Monday.
Both teams were missing key players in that qualifying game, with stars A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray not available for the US and Belgium’s 6-foot-4 center Kyara Linskens out for the Cats.
Full rosters favor a USA victory
Even with both teams at full strength, Team USA is still the heavy favorite.
To hand the US their first Olympic loss since 1992, Belgium will have to lean on their WNBA vets: current Mystics guard Julie Vanloo and 2019 WNBA Finals MVP center Emma Meesseman. The pair led the Cats with a combined 43 points in Belgium’s opening loss to Germany, a team the US humbled in their final pre-Olympic tune-up.
"It’s going to be a great game," Team USA’s Napheesa Collier said of Belgium. "They’re a really good team. So I think it’s going to be a battle."
Where to watch USA Women's Basketball vs. Belgium
Team USA meets Belgium this afternoon at 3 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Team USA's 3×3 gold medal repeat dreams dim
Unlike their 5x5 counterparts, it’s been a very different tournament for Team USA’s defending gold medalist 3×3 squad. Beleaguered by injury, they have yet to secure a single win, falling 17-13 to Germany on Tuesday, 20-17 to Azerbaijan on Wednesday, and 17-15 to Australia this morning.
The struggling US will now take on Spain, hoping to finally find their footing against the first-place Spanish side.
Where to watch USA Women's Basketball 3×3 vs. Spain
Team USA 3×3 plays Spain this afternoon at 3:30 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands are submitting a bid to FIFA to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the countries’ football associations said Friday.
Brazil submitted their bid to host last month, while the United States and Mexico have also expressed interest.
Friday is the deadline for member associations to submit their bids to FIFA. South Africa had also submitted a bid, but withdrew that last month in favor of presenting a “well-prepared bid” for the 2031 World Cup.
“Extensive and detailed consultations between the three federations along with key stakeholders including central governments dates back to 2021,” the Dutch football federation (KNVB) said in a statement. “This has led to alignment around the belief that our three countries are well placed to stage a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 of unparalleled quality and impact.”
Bid cities for the countries’ bid include Brussels, the capital of Belgium; Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands; as well as Düsseldorf and Cologne Germany.
🇧🇪 Brussels, Charleroi, Genk, Ghent
— Rich Laverty (@RichJLaverty) December 8, 2023
🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Heerenveen, Enschede, Rotterdam
🇩🇪 Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen, Cologne
The confirmed bid cities for the @bng2027 World Cup as they submitted their official bid book to FIFA this morning.
FIFA will conduct on-site inspection visits to bidding countries in February. FIFA Congress will then appoint the 2027 World Cup hosts in May.
Germany has hosted the Women’s World Cup once before, back in 2011, after having won the 2003 and 2007 editions of the World Cup.
This year, Australia and New Zealand hosted the World Cup, which was won by Spain.