D’Tigress Face Korea In World Cup Opener

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, will begin their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign against South Korea on Friday in Berlin, Germany.

The African champions enter the tournament with confidence after a strong preparation programme that included training camps and international friendly matches in different locations.

D’Tigress arrived in Berlin earlier this week after completing their final phase of preparations in Zaragoza, Spain. The team played tune-up games against Mali and Puerto Rico as part of their build-up for the competition.

Nigeria are drawn in Group B alongside South Korea, Hungary and France. Their opening encounter against South Korea will be followed by a meeting with Hungary before they face European powerhouse France in their final group fixture.

The tournament provides D’Tigress with another opportunity to strengthen their reputation as one of Africa’s leading basketball teams.

Nigeria are the reigning African champions after winning their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025. They defeated Mali 78-64 in the final to retain their continental crown.

Their recent success has also extended beyond Africa. D’Tigress made history at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by becoming the first African basketball team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.

They defeated Australia and Canada during the group stage before eventually exiting the competition in the last eight.

At the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Nigeria’s best performance remains their historic quarter-final appearance in 2018. They finished eighth in that tournament after becoming the first African women’s team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

The 2026 competition will be played in Berlin from September 4 to 13, bringing together the world’s leading women’s basketball nations.

For D’Tigress, the immediate target will be to start strongly against South Korea before turning their attention to Hungary and France.

The Nigerian team will rely on its athleticism, defensive intensity and collective experience, while the coaching staff will look to maintain the discipline and composure that have helped the team dominate African basketball in recent years.

A positive opening result would provide Nigeria with an important platform as they seek to progress from Group B and challenge the world’s best teams.