As the 2026 FIBA World Cup has reached the knockout rounds, the number of teams still playing shrinks by the day. This will ultimately lead to one country winning gold, but another prize is on the line: the TISSOT MVP of the tournament.
So far, who is the favorite to win the tournament’s top individual honor?
Gabby Williams. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Without Gabby Williams, France would be good, but not great.
She’s the connector, helping the offense run smooth like butter while also raising the ceiling to the point where there isn’t one. As long as Williams is playing, France can win it all.
She is leading the World Cup in points, averaging 18.7 points per game. Add in her 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.7 steals per game and a plus-minus of +84, and the only conclusion one can come to is that Williams is France’s MVP.
If they run the table and remain undefeated, then she’ll be an easy choice for MVP of the women’s basketball world.
Emma Meeseeman. Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
Emma Meesseman is a big reason Belgium is back in the quarterfinals. She is playing as well as anyone.
Meesseman is averaging a team-high 18.3 points and 8 rebounds per game. Her passing has been equally impressive. For Belgium, she also is averaging 5.3 assists per game, second only to Julie Allemand.
Belgium will continue to rely on Meesseman to win, and isn’t that what being an MVP is all about? Carrying a larger load and producing enough to uplift your team beyond what they could do if you weren’t available?
Meeseman certainly fits that description, and three more wins could earn her an MVP trophy.
Breanna Stewart or Caitlin Clark (Team USA)
Caitlin Clark and Breanna Stewart. NBAE via Getty Images
Team USA certainly gives a super team vibe, but their play is a true collaborative effort. No one player dominates, while the collective pretty much does.
That makes MVP talk tough. Plenty of players are performing well for USA, but who has stood out most?
If they win the World Cup once again, an American has to be in the running. Breanna Stewart and Caitlin Clark are two good options.
Stewart is constantly flirting with a double-double, averaging 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. After Team USA struggled against Italy, she helped establish the bounce-back win by scoring 19 points against Czechia. That’s a prime example of Stewie’s leadership. When she needs to go out there and have a big game, she can do it with ease and re-establish USA dominance.
Stewart already has a World Cup MVP in her trophy case, having captured the award for the 2018 World Cup. If she wins the award for this tournament, she would become the first-ever two-time World Cup MVP.
Clark is playing more than any American, averaging 21.9 minutes per game. She’s averaging just eight points per game, but her 6.3 assists per contest make her third in assists in this tournament. Right now, she’s not a prime MVP candidate, but the big games are coming. Those who have seen Clark play in the WNBA know she is just one 3-pointer away from a hot streak.
If she is inserted into the starting lineup or turns in some huge performances in the elimination rounds, she could go from long shot to shoo-in for the MVP.
Of these four MVP candidates, who do you think will win the award? Is a clear contender missing from this list? If so, let us know who and why they should be in the running in the comments section below.