Mali stuns sixth-ranked Spain 82-73 for historic World Cup win
5 sourcesUpdated Sep 9, 2026
Mali stunned sixth-ranked Spain 82-73 in Group A at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, earning only the second victory in the nation’s tournament history and its first against a European opponent. Spain led 34-32 at halftime, but Mali seized control by outscoring Spain 31-19 in the third quarter and extending its advantage early in the fourth. Sika Koné and Djeneba N’Diaye each scored 19 points, while Koné added 10 rebounds for her fifth consecutive World Cup double-double, a historic feat. Iyana Martín led Spain with 20 points, but Mali’s victory followed its narrow opening loss to Japan and left all four Group A teams with 1-1 records after Germany defeated Japan.
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Spain just couldn't answer after halftime, Martin's 20 points weren't enough to cover for that collapse.
Sika Koné is quietly putting together an incredible tournament, five straight double-doubles is no joke.
That third-quarter run says it all, 16-4 is how you flip a game against a top-six team.
