Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, will begin their quest for global honours on Friday when they face South Korea in their opening Group B game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
The encounter is scheduled for Friday, September 4, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. Berlin time, at the Berlin Arena.
The tournament marks D’Tigress’ return to the World Cup after eight years, with Nigeria determined to build on the historic progress made during their previous appearance in 2018.
D’Tigress finished eighth at the 2018 World Cup, and the current squad will be looking to surpass that achievement and establish Nigeria as a stronger force on the global women’s basketball stage.
Nigeria enters the competition as African champions and will face a challenging Group B campaign featuring South Korea, Hungary and France.
The opening game against South Korea is particularly important, as a positive result would give Nigeria early momentum before their second group fixture against Hungary on September 5. D’Tigress will then round off the group phase against France on September 7.
D’Tigress also have a psychological advantage in their recent head-to-head record against South Korea.
Nigeria won their last two recorded meetings, including a 70–69 victory in the 2016 FIBA Women’s Qualifying Tournament and a 68–64 win at the 2004 Olympic Games.
However, the Nigerian side cannot afford to rely on past results. The expanded 2026 World Cup features 16 teams, up from 12 in the previous edition, making the competition even more demanding.
FIBA has identified experienced guard Ezinne Kalu as one of Nigeria’s key players, while Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa and Amy Okonkwo are also expected to play important roles in the team’s campaign.
For head coach Rena Wakama and her players, the priority will be to make a strong start, control the tempo against South Korea and secure valuable points in what promises to be a highly competitive group.
With a blend of experience, physical strength and the confidence of being reigning African champions, D’Tigress will hope their return to the world stage ends with a deeper run than their eighth-place finish in 2018.
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup runs from September 4 to 13 in Berlin, with Nigeria aiming to make its comeback one of the major stories of the tournament.
