Group Preview: Will hosts Czechia show their best face in Brno?

    4 min to read
    Preview

    Group D looks wide open with opportunities for everyone to impress.

    BRNO (Czechia) - There are plenty of all-consuming reasons to be positive for each and every nation preparing to take to the court in Group D of the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025.

    From the love the locals will give Czechia, to the fast and fearless style of Japan, the tradition of Spain and its connection to this competition - plus a resurgent Argentina who took FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup 2024 bronze.

    Check out the roster tracker for the event

    Roster Tracker: Who's ready to step out at the FIBA U19 Worlds in Brno?

    The Favorite: Spain

    Even if Spain won't have a couple of their highest profile stars available after they played with the senior team at FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 (a sign of their success and progress), they still look like being the team to beat.

    Will Ines Sotelo be one of the leaders at this edition for the 2023 runners-up?

    Runners-up in 2023, this class might not ultimately live up to that crazy run in the Spanish capital last time. But, they'll bring the noise in this group phase with their defensive DNA and maybe Ines Sotelo taking a leadership role.

    The Underdog: Argentina

    Argentina played well at U18 last year and having taken the third podium step, it looked like it might provide a platform for a good run at this year's tournament. However, they might not have their full quote of stars available and that changes the dimension of what is realistically possible.

    Malena Maggi will need to step up for Argentina

    They might justifiably argue about being branded as underdogs because they can still breathe fire when they take to the court and will not be fazed by anyone they face. Watch for Melena Maggi and Milagros Morell fueling them.

    Let us know what you think and vote:

    Who will be crowned U19 Women's World Cup champions?

    The Pivotal Game: Czechia v Japan

    This is going to be one of the many games to look out for in the group phase, since the home fans will make it a great atmosphere for Czechia as they look to make positive waves on their own court. They will have to figure out a way to slow down the relentless and frenetic tempo of Japan.

    This clash of styles will be fascinating - with the Asian side looking to launch from long-range at any opportunity. Kokora Tanaka finished as the second-best scorer of FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2024 with 19 points per game as she helped Japan win bronze - so they might enter as slight favorites.

    More

    Looking for more about the teams in Group D? Check out why your nation could win the tournament.

    Check out why your team could win the World Cup

    Why your team can win: Part 1

    Why your team can win: Part 2

    FIBA

    FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025

    Website

    FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025

    Who is your favorite U19 Women's World Cup MVP of all time?

    Group Preview: Who's coming out on top in the 'Group of Death'?

    Group Preview: All eyes on USA as Hungary, Israel and Korea dream of an upset

    Join for an enhanced experience and custom features
    Register Now
    Social Media
    FIBA Partners
    Global Suppliers
    © Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. No portion of FIBA.basketball may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. By accessing FIBA.basketball pages, you agree to abide by FIBA.basketball terms and conditions