New 'Behind the Flag' feature shows how Czechia has become a truly global baseball team

Before the 2023 World Baseball Classic, we went to Prague to shoot a "Behind the Flag" feature on Czechia's national baseball team. There, in the cradle of Central Europe, we met this team of mostly amateur players who each have day jobs ranging from firefighter to electrical engineer to neurologist and traveled the country, seeing how baseball was making inroads in a country known more for its hockey, soccer or volleyball.

Now, though, after Czechia's impressive performance at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where it earned the respect of Shohei Ohtani and the adulation of the Japanese fans, this team has been welcomed by the world. It has played exhibitions against Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and American Minor League teams and has welcomed NPB stars to the Czech extraliga. It even won a bronze medal at the 2025 European Baseball Championship -- the first medal in the country's history.

So, when Korea invited Czechia to play in a tune-up before the World Baseball Classic last November, we made sure we were there. Three years ago, the Czechs proved that baseball is a European sport. In 2026, the Czechs have proven they're a truly global baseball team.

Watch the feature above and tune in when they begin their 2026 tournament against Korea.