2026 FIFA WWC: D’Tigress Suffer Heavy Defeat To France In Final Group Game

Nigeria’s D’Tigress suffered a heavy 111-56 defeat to France in their final Group B game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin on Monday.

The result brought Nigeria’s group-stage campaign to a difficult conclusion, with the team unable to secure a victory in their three matches.

France established their superiority early and maintained control throughout the contest, producing an emphatic performance against a Nigerian side that struggled to match their intensity and offensive efficiency.

The French team took command of the game through their scoring depth and effective shooting, while Nigeria found it increasingly difficult to contain their opponents as the match progressed.

Nigeria had hoped to finish the group stage with a victory and restore some confidence after opening the tournament with a 99-81 loss to South Korea and a 71-67 defeat to Hungary.

However, France quickly took control and left D’Tigress with little opportunity to mount a meaningful comeback.

The defeat was another setback for Nigeria after the team’s impressive run at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they became the first African team, male or female, to reach the quarter-finals of an Olympic basketball tournament.

D’Tigress had entered the World Cup with expectations of building on that historic achievement, but their campaign ultimately ended without a victory.

France, meanwhile, continued their strong tournament showing with another commanding performance. Their offensive quality and defensive organisation proved too much for Nigeria, who struggled to maintain possession and create consistent scoring opportunities.

The Nigerian side also found it difficult to contain France’s movement and shooting, with the European team steadily increasing their advantage as the game progressed.

For head coach Rena Wakama and her players, the result will provide plenty to reflect on as they assess a campaign that fell short of expectations.

Nigeria will now turn attention to rebuilding and preparing for future international competitions, with the team expected to draw lessons from the difficult group-stage experience.

The heavy defeat to France brings an end to D’Tigress’ World Cup campaign and highlights the work required for Nigeria to remain competitive against the world’s leading women’s basketball nations.