Williams, Johannes pursue first World Cup final

Les Bleues last reached the top four in 1953.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 111 min read

Enjoyed checking in with Dom Malonga, Gabby Williams and Marine Johannes as Les Bleues look to make some history of thei Via @alexaphilippou on X

What happened: Les Bleues advanced by beating China in the quarterfinals. Gabby Williams and Marine Johannes now enter the tournament's final weekend.

Why it matters: A semifinal victory would guarantee at least a silver medal. The team's stated ambition is to win the championship after years of runner-up finishes and semifinal exits in international competition.

By the numbers: Les Bleues ended a run of six consecutive World Cup quarterfinal defeats, reaching the last four on their seventh attempt. [FIBA](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/news/semi-finals-set-at-the-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026)

What to watch: Saturday's semifinal tips off at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Sources

@alexaphilippou 2026-09-11T18:07:51.960567+00:00

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Williams, Johannes pursue first World Cup final

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