Mali (W) vs Spain (W) Prediction 5 September 2026

Mali entered the tournament as clear underdogs in Group A, but they delivered an impressive performance against Japan. The African side dominated for much of the game with their trademark athleticism and surprised everyone with an outstanding field goal percentage for women’s basketball - 50.9%, including 39.2% from beyond the arc. However, they began to run out of steam in the final quarter, and Japan capitalised to claim a 102-97 win. Kone was particularly impressive, pouring in 21 points. Now, the question is whether Mali can muster the same energy and intensity against an even stronger Spain squad. It looks like a tall order, especially with less than 24 hours separating the two fixtures.

Spain opened their campaign with a surprisingly dominant win over their main rivals for the top spot in the group - tournament hosts Germany - cruising to an 83-53 victory. The Red Fury didn’t let deficits in shot attempts and rebounds faze them, as their superiority in other key areas proved decisive. Spain were especially lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down 50% of their three-point attempts (14 of 28). Their ball movement and offensive cohesion were on full display, as they doubled Germany’s tally in assists. Carrera led the way with a double-double, posting 10 points and 10 rebounds. It’s clear that Spain have hit the ground running at the World Cup and look firmly set on challenging for the title.