WUHAN, China – The Czech Republic women’s national basketball team took a significant first step toward qualifying for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, defeating South Sudan 89-51 on Wednesday in Wuhan, China. The victory, part of the opening round of qualification, showcased a dominant performance from the Czechs, marked by strong teamwork and efficient offense.
Head coach Romana Ptáčková utilized her entire roster in the game, giving valuable minutes to all 12 players, including a debut appearance from Monika Fučíková. The Czech team committed just nine turnovers compared to South Sudan’s 25, and effectively transitioned to offense, according to reports from the game. “I am very happy with the win after a truly team performance. We wanted to play intense basketball since our opponents were in a tight rotation,” Ptáčková said after the match.
Eliška Hamzová, one of six Czech players to score in double figures, highlighted the team’s focus from the start. “We knew that South Sudan was, on paper, the weakest opponent. We managed to function hard on defense from the beginning, and when we sped up the game, everything went the right way,” Hamzová stated.
The Czech Republic’s 93 shot attempts throughout the game demonstrated their offensive aggression. Whereas Ptáčková acknowledged a desire for improved shooting percentages, she was pleased with the opportunities created by South Sudan’s zone defense. “Ninety-three shots for the whole game is a very great number, but I would like to witness better conversion. South Sudan’s zone gave us a lot of open positions, which is not usually the case, and it got into the girls’ heads a little bit,” she explained.
This qualifying tournament is crucial for the Czechs, who aim to secure a spot in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Berlin, Germany, in September. The team initially qualified for this stage after dominating a pre-qualifying tournament in Mexico City in August 2024, defeating South Korea, Mali, Venezuela, Mexico, and Korea again to earn the sole qualifying spot.
The road to the World Cup won’t be effortless. The Czechs faced China in a preparatory match prior to the qualifier, falling 51-85 despite a competitive effort. That game was played without five experienced players who were still fulfilling club commitments in Europe, including Julia Reisingerová, Andělová, Šotolová, and Voráčková. Despite the absence of key players, the Czech team battled valiantly against a taller Chinese squad, focusing on rebounding and fighting under the basket.
“Our team is not in full strength, we are still missing five experienced national team players from Europe and space was given to several young players. We dealt very well with the height advantage of our opponents. The girls did their best they could. But we can be upset about sixteen turnovers and sixteen points from them, we have to work on that in the next games. I must praise the team for twenty offensive rebounds, which are really valuable against such a tall team,” Ptáčková said following the China match.
The win against South Sudan is considered an ideal start to the qualification process, allowing Ptáčková to distribute playing time effectively. However, the coach is realistic about the challenges ahead. “It was an ideal match to get started, we were able to distribute the minutes to all the girls. I am pleased with the successful first step. But we know that the next matches, already on Thursday against Mali or on Saturday with Brazil, will be a different level, but we are prepared to fight for promotion with all our might, so that we appear at the championship in September in Germany,” Ptáčková added.
The Czech Republic will now turn their attention to their next match, scheduled for Thursday against Mali. The team will then face Brazil on Saturday, continuing their quest for a coveted spot in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. The outcome of these games will be critical as they navigate a challenging group that also includes China and the reigning European champions, Belgium.
For fans following the action, the qualification tournament in Wuhan presents a crucial opportunity to witness the Czech Republic’s journey toward the World Cup. The team’s performance will undoubtedly be closely watched by basketball enthusiasts both in the Czech Republic and around the globe.
