In preparation for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament 2026, which begins on Wednesday, Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has started training in Lyon.
On Monday, the seven-time African champions landed in Villeurbanne for the competition, which is set to take place from March 11 to 17. The squad posted a brief video on their official social media channels to confirm their arrival.
Instagram videos showed the players getting right to work, participating in gym sessions and shooting exercises as they got ready for their first game against the Colombian women’s national basketball team.
Along with head coach Rena Wakama and her helpers, all 12 players who were chosen for the competition traveled to France.
After completing his coaching duties with Hive Basketball Club in the 3×3 Unrivalled League, Wakama joined the national team.
Even though D’Tigress won the Women’s AfroBasket 2025, securing their spot at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin, the qualifiers will be another chance to hone the team before the international tournament, which is set for September 4–13.
Nigeria’s campaign begins on Wednesday against Colombia, and on March 12 they take on the South Korean women’s national basketball team.
Additional games are scheduled for March 14 against the women’s national basketball team of the Philippines, March 15 against the women’s national basketball team of the hosts France, and March 17 against the women’s national basketball team of Germany.
The team combines youth and experience. Team captain Amy Okonkwo and guards Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara are important players. Sarah Ogoke, Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro, and Blessing Ejiofor are all traveling with the group.
As the players began their build-up with physical exercises and shooting practice, videos that went viral from the camp showed them in a laid-back mood.
Nigeria is gaining respect on a global scale going into the competition. After a string of impressive performances, the African champions were ranked ninth in the world in the most recent FIBA power rankings.
At the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Tenerife, D’Tigress made history by becoming the first African team to advance past the group stage following wins over the national basketball teams of Argentina and Turkey.
The squad has participated in the international competition twice before, in Brazil in 2006 and again in 2018. When the next event is held in Berlin, they intend to push even more.
Nigeria will travel to the United States in April for a historic preseason exhibition against the Minnesota Lynx following the qualifiers in France.
As part of World Cup preparations, the match will be the first time an African national team takes on a Women’s National Basketball Association team.
