Germany defeats Belgium 93-74 to reach first Women's Basketball World Cup semi-final

Quarter-final victory over Belgium

Germany reached the semi-finals of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup for the first time on Thursday evening with a 93:74 victory over reigning European champions Belgium. Playing before 10,537 spectators at Uber Arena in Berlin, the German team recovered from an early 0:5 deficit by establishing a 22:19 lead by the end of the first quarter. Forward Leonie Fiebich shifted the momentum by sinking two consecutive three-pointers, prompting call-and-response chants across the arena. Germany built on that advantage with a 7:0 run to open the second period, entering the halftime break ahead 42:35 before winning every individual quarter. Basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki and German Basketball Federation president Ingo Weiss watched the performance from the front row as the hosts secured a 19-point margin of victory.

“For me, this is definitely the best day in German basketball.”

Scoring leaders and bench production

Fiebich completed the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while forward Nyara Sabally recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds to earn player of the match honours. The pair delivered the first instance of two German players achieving double-doubles in the same match during this tournament. Point guard Alexis Peterson directed the offense and provided the final assist with a behind-the-back pass to Fiebich for an uncontested layup in the closing seconds. Belgian forward Emma Meesseman led all scorers on the night with 29 points, but Belgium was unable to match Germany's squad depth. German substitutes contributed 51 total bench points, with Marie Gülich and Frieda Bühner providing sustained scoring and defensive support.

Emma Meesseman (Belgium)29

Leonie Fiebich (Germany)17

Nyara Sabally (Germany)16

Emma Meesseman (Belgium)

29 pts

Leonie Fiebich (Germany)

17 pts

Nyara Sabally (Germany)

16 pts

Data from the article text

Tournament turnaround and roster continuity

The win extended a transformation for the host nation following a 53:83 opening defeat against Spain earlier in the tournament. Germany rebounded from that 30-point loss by securing consecutive victories over Japan, Mali, and South Korea to reach their first World Cup quarter-final. Head coach Olaf Lange, who took charge of the national team in autumn 2025, structured the squad despite the tournament-long absence of injured forward Satou Sabally. Core continuity underpinned the run, with eight players returning from the 2025 European Championship and nine having played together at the 2024 Olympic Games. Captain Marie Gülich, the squad's oldest member at 32, noted that the national team environment offered a level of cohesion rarely found in club careers following a twelve-year absence from international tournaments prior to 2023.

“We are definitely going to celebrate. It is impossible not to.”

Semi-final matchup against France

Germany will play Olympic silver medallists France in the semi-finals on Saturday at 16:30 local time in Berlin. France advanced to the final four with a 90:61 victory over China in their quarter-final fixture. The remaining semi-final features the United States, who defeated Hungary 108:56, against Spain, who eliminated an Australian team coached by Lange's wife, Sandy Brondello. The winners of Saturday's fixtures will contest the World Cup final on Sunday, while the losing semi-finalists will meet in the bronze medal game earlier that day.