China (W) vs Czech Republic (W) Prediction 6 September 2026

China, as expected, failed to put up much resistance against tournament favorites Team USA, falling 61-94. Their impressive size and early dominance in the paint kept things close for a few minutes, but the overwhelming class and star power of the Americans quickly took over. The Asian side simply couldn't keep up with the relentless movement of their opponents and soon found themselves trailing by double digits. Han Xu was the lone bright spot for China, posting an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Perhaps the Chinese squad didn't give their all, knowing that an upset against the USA was never really on the cards. We'll get a better sense of their true level in the upcoming clash with Czechia - there will be no excuses if they fall short against the Europeans.

The Czech national team entered the World Cup facing significant personnel issues, with injuries to Stupalova and Chekhova disrupting their preparations. Nevertheless, they managed to put up a real fight against Italy in their opening game, ultimately falling 54-63. Ptáčková’s side even controlled the first half but couldn’t maintain the required intensity against their opponents after the break. In the current setup, Pospíšilová and Voráčková have emerged as the team’s key figures. The Czechs are well-organized defensively, yet they consistently lack the athleticism, bench depth, and size to compete with more physical teams. Offensively, they remain heavily reliant on the scoring of their two stars, making them relatively easy to shut down - as Italy demonstrated. Realistically, their chances of advancing from the group are slim; at this level, solid defense alone is rarely enough.