BRNO (Czechia) - The Group Phase of the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025 in Brno looks set to throw up plenty of action-packed and absorbing games.

With fixtures in the tournament schedule for Saturday 12, Sunday 13 and Tuesday 15 of July, every matchup will mean something as the lineup for the Round of 16 takes shape.

But which matchups are the ones to put at the top of your watch-list? Here's the ones you really shouldn't miss!

It's last year's U18 Asian Champs against the U18 African Champs to tip-us off and it's a great matchup to get the tournament rolling. Australia have a couple of big-hitters unavailable so could be vulnerable if Mali can find their highest gear. Their rise at U19 has been so impressive in the last decade or so and they will be disruptive, strong and aggressive. How will the Gems deal with it and can they make their skillful team concepts shine through? Watch out for Mali's Oummou Koumare, while for Australia, it could be Monique Bobongie and Bonnie Deas shining.

Any opening game for a host nation is special and it will be no different when Czechia take to the court for the first time in front of the home fans. That support will be vital as they look to make a winning start against a Japan team that will present them with a different challenge to what they are used to. They will be energetic, quick and eager to shoot the ball from long-range at any opportunity, led by the free-scoring Kokoro Tanaka. Meanwhile Czechia will look to get the ball in the post more and look to Emilie Brzonova for inspiration.

Could history be happening for Israel at what is their first ever U19 Worlds outing? To rack up their maiden victory would be amazing, but even more special if they get it at the very first attempt. They go up against familiar opponents in European rivals Hungary although both teams dodged each other at U18 last year. Gal Raviv will be Israel's main attraction having taken her side to the Semi-Finals, while Hungary's team defense is their main asset.

Israel are not the only nation chasing rookie glory, since Portugal also have an opportunity to write themselves into history with their first success. They might have already attained that after a first day showdown with Canada, but the matchup with China looks to be absorbing. Both teams have big guns and superstars in the paint, so if Clara Silva plays for Portugal and Ziyu Zhang for China it oculd be sensational. Even if one of them is missing, lock it in!

Any game involving USA is intriguing - even if it won't serve up too much drama around the scoreline and tension in crunch time because of the champions' dominance. But it's great to figure out just how good this year's class is - compared to those that went before. And historically, by the end of the Group Phase, the holders should be clicking into gear nicely, meaning we can get a sense of who the leaders are going to be in the latest gold rush.

What a way to finish the Group Phase! With a potential matchup to decide first spot in Group C from the two heavyweights who are likely to head into this competition as favorites to push for a podium place. France have named a superb roster that looks capable fo doing great things - including the likes of Ainhoa Risacher, Nell Angloma, Tea Cleante and Sarah Cisse. Will they outgun and outmuscle the Gems, or can Australia keep pace?

FIBA