Nigeria’s D’Tigress will begin their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign on Friday when they face South Korea in Berlin, Germany.
The tournament, scheduled to run from September 4 to 13, features 16 teams competing for the global title, with Nigeria drawn in Group B alongside France, Hungary and South Korea.
D’Tigress will open their campaign against South Korea on Friday before taking on Hungary on September 5 and tournament heavyweights France on September 7.
Under the competition’s format, the winners of each group will advance directly to the quarter-finals, while teams finishing second and third will have to win a qualification game to reach the last eight.
Nigeria secured its place at the World Cup after winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title, defeating Mali 78-64 in the final. The victory extended D’Tigress’ dominance in African women’s basketball, with the team having won five consecutive AfroBasket titles.
However, the World Cup represents a tougher challenge for the African champions.
Nigeria has featured at the tournament twice previously, finishing 16th in 2006 before making history in 2018 by reaching the quarter-finals and eventually finishing eighth.
D’Tigress did not participate in the 2022 edition.
The current squad features experienced players including Ezinne Kalu, Amy Okonkwo, Victoria Macaulay and Murjanatu Musa.
Nigeria is currently ranked eighth in the world by FIBA, while head coach Rena Wakama will be looking to build on her historic achievement of guiding D’Tigress to the Olympic quarter-finals at the Paris 2024 Games—the first time an African team reached that stage of the competition.
Wakama previously described the team’s potential, saying, “When we are focused on something, and when we all come together, we are powerful.”
Kalu has also highlighted the significance of representing Nigeria on the international stage, describing it as “a huge deal.”
Meanwhile, defending champions the United States will begin their title defence against China.
The Americans have won the last four editions of the Women’s Basketball World Cup and will be seeking a record fifth consecutive title.
For D’Tigress, the tournament in Berlin provides another opportunity to make history and further establish Nigeria as a force in global women’s basketball.
