Nigeria’s reigning African champions, D’Tigress, will open their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign today against Korea Republic in Berlin, Germany.
The tournament runs from September 4 to 13, with Nigeria making its third appearance at the global championship after previous outings in 2006 and 2018.
Head coach Rena Wakama has named a final 12-player squad for the competition, with Amy Okonkwo set to captain the team.
The roster combines experienced players with emerging talents, while Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara will join Aisha Mohammed as the only Nigerian players to have featured at two FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups.
The full squad comprises Promise Amukamara, Jordan Obi, Elizabeth Balogun, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunaiyi, Rita Igbokwe, Victoria Macaulay, Ezinne Kalu, Shay Ijiwoye, Nicole Enabosi, Amy Okonkwo and Grace Efosa.
Drawn in Group B, D’Tigress will also face Hungary and France in the group stage.
Nigeria will take on Hungary tomorrow at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin before concluding the group stage against France on September 7 at the Berlin Arena.
D’Tigress will be seeking to surpass their historic 2018 performance, when they became the first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals and finished eighth the best-ever finish by an African team at the tournament.
