Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have begun preparations in France for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament.
The team arrived in Villeurbanne on Monday and moved straight into training as they intensified preparations for the competition, which will begin in Lyon on Wednesday.
Videos shared on the team’s social media platforms showed players taking part in their first training session and gym routines ahead of the tournament. All 12 invited players travelled with head coach Rena Wakama and her technical crew.
Although Nigeria have already secured a place at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin after winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket title, the qualifying tournament is expected to offer the African champions valuable match practice before the main event in Germany from September 4 to 13.
D’Tigress will open their campaign against Colombia on Wednesday. They will also face South Korea on March 12, the Philippines on March 14, hosts France on March 15, and Germany on March 17.
The squad includes key players such as Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara and captain Amy Okonkwo. Others in the team are Sarah Ogoke, Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro and Blessing Ejiofor.
Nigeria head into the tournament in strong form following their recent rise on the international stage. The team was placed eighth in FIBA’s first power rankings for the 2026 World Cup, underlining its growing reputation in women’s basketball.
D’Tigress made history at the 2018 Women’s World Cup in Tenerife when they became the first African team to reach the quarter finals. They also featured at the tournament in 2006 and will be aiming to build momentum ahead of another appearance on the global stage.
After the qualifiers in France, the Nigerian side is also expected to travel to the United States in April for a pre season exhibition game against the Minnesota Lynx. The fixture is set to mark the first meeting between an African national team and a WNBA franchise.
