Germany (W) vs Japan (W) Prediction 5 September 2026

The tournament hosts opened with a heavy defeat against one of the title favourites, Spain, falling 53-83. Despite outshooting the Spaniards in total attempts (61 to 57), Germany struggled mightily with their shot conversion. Defensively, they simply couldn’t cope, crumbling under Spain’s relentless, high-tempo ball movement. In what was a disappointing performance across the board, Fibich led the team with just 13 points. It’s clear Germany need a dramatic improvement, but whether they can bounce back after such a damaging blow -especially without the injured Sabally - remains an open question. Still, Germany might look to match Japan’s trademark up-tempo style and try to outgun them in an open contest.

Japan opened their campaign with a high-octane, attack-heavy clash against Mali, coming out on top in a 102-97 thriller. The Japanese squad showcased their trademark up-tempo style, launching a barrage of three-pointers and maintaining a relentless pace throughout. Unsurprisingly, their sharpshooter Hayashi stole the show, pouring in 27 points and draining an incredible nine shots from beyond the arc. Expect Japan to stick to their whirlwind brand of basketball, compensating for their lack of height with lightning-fast transitions, constant screens, and relentless perimeter activity - driven by specialists like Miyazaki, Akaho, Takada, and Hayashi. Their style forces opposing centers to step out of the paint, opening up driving lanes for aggressive attacks at the rim.