D’Tigress, Nigeria’s formidable women’s basketball squad, are preparing to face host nation France this Sunday in a pivotal fixture of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualification tournament.
The match will take place at the Astroballe Arena in Villeurbanne, near Lyon. This qualifying event is a key step in preparation for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, set for September 4–13 in Berlin, Germany.
Having already secured their spot at the World Cup by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket, D’Tigress view these qualifiers as an opportunity to test themselves against elite international competition and boost their global ranking ahead of the main tournament.
The Nigerian team enters Sunday’s encounter with two wins and one loss from three games in the qualifiers. They opened with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia, before suffering a 77–60 defeat to South Korea. However, they bounced back impressively in their most recent game, defeating Philippines 101–84 after trailing at halftime.
The win over the Philippines marked Nigeria’s first 100-plus point performance in the tournament and highlighted the team’s attacking depth and resilience.
D’Tigress are led by head coach Rena Wakama, who made history as the first woman to coach Nigeria’s senior women’s national basketball team.
Sunday’s clash against France is expected to be a stern test for the African champions as they aim to continue their strong form and prepare for the World Cup.
