Mali beat Spain 82–73 for second-ever Women’s World Cup win
Mali beat Spain 82–73 in Berlin on September 5, 2026, using a dominant third quarter to secure their second-ever Women’s Basketball World Cup victory.
In short
- Mali beat Spain 82–73 in Berlin on September 5, 2026, using a dominant third quarter to secure their second-ever Women’s Basketball World Cup victory.
Mali defeated Spain 82–73 in Berlin on September 5, 2026, earning only their second victory in Women’s Basketball World Cup history.
The result, confirmed by [FIBA’s official match record](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/games/128119-MLI-ESP), came in Group A at Max-Schmeling-Halle. Mali turned a 34–32 halftime deficit into a 63–53 advantage by outscoring Spain 31–19 in the third quarter.
Sika Kone and Djeneba N’Diaye each scored 19 points, while Kone also collected 10 rebounds, according to [The Guardian’s match report](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/05/mali-spain-womens-basketball-world-cup-hungary-nigeria). Kone made two three-pointers during a decisive third-quarter surge and added another early in the final period. Iyana Martin led Spain with 20 points.
The victory left both teams with one win and one defeat. For Mali, it ended a long wait for another success on this stage: their only previous World Cup win had come against Senegal in overtime in 2010. The African side had gone without a victory at the 2022 tournament.
Spain won the final quarter 20–19, but could not erase the advantage Mali had built after halftime.
