Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, the D’Tigress, have officially kicked off their preparations in France ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament 2026 in Lyon. The seven-time African champions arrived in Villeurbanne, Lyon, on Monday, sharing clips on their social media channels showing the squad in their first training and gym sessions.
All 12 selected players are with the team, accompanied by head coach Rena Wakama and her coaching staff. Wakama recently wrapped up her duties with Hive Basketball Club in the 3×3 Unrivalled League before linking up with the national team for the qualifiers. The camp marks the start of intense preparation ahead of Wednesday’s opening match against Colombia.
Although Nigeria has already booked its place at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin by winning the Women’s AfroBasket 2025, the qualifiers in France serve as a crucial platform to fine-tune strategies and build cohesion before the global tournament scheduled for September 4 to 13.
D’Tigress will face a series of challenging fixtures over the week, starting with Colombia on March 11, South Korea on March 12, the Philippines on March 14, hosts France on March 15, and Germany on March 17. Videos from the camp show players in high spirits, engaging in shooting drills, conditioning exercises, and team-building routines.
The squad blends experience and youthful talent, featuring guards Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara, alongside team captain Amy Okonkwo. Other key members include Sarah Ogoke, Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro, and Blessing Ejiofor. Their combined experience and skill set make the team a formidable contender in the qualifiers.
Nigeria’s recent rise on the international stage has not gone unnoticed. In the FIBA power rankings for the 2026 World Cup, the D’Tigress were placed eighth globally, a reflection of their consistency, squad depth, and performance in recent competitions. The team previously made history at the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, becoming the first African team to progress from the group stage with victories over Turkey and Argentina.
Having featured at the World Cup twice before — in 2006 in Brazil and in 2018 — the D’Tigress are now aiming to build on those performances as they look toward Berlin next year. After the qualifiers in France, the team will travel to the United States in April for a landmark preseason exhibition against the Minnesota Lynx, marking the first time an African national team will face a WNBA franchise in preparation for a World Cup campaign.
The atmosphere in camp reflects optimism and determination, as Nigeria seeks to continue its ascent in women’s basketball while inspiring the next generation of African players.
