D'Tigress unveil final 12-player roster for 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifiers in France
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have unveiled their final 12-player roster for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament scheduled to take place from 11 to 17 March 2026 in France.
Head coach Rena Wakama has kept faith with the core of the squad that has powered Nigeria’s recent dominance in African women’s basketball. Eleven players from the squad that defeated Mali in Abidjan to clinch a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket title have been retained for the qualifiers.
The final list was trimmed from the 17-player provisional squad announced in February. Pius Beggi Idubano, Adenike Olawuyi, Grace Efosa, Wandoo Hemba, and Tewogbade Mololuwa did not make the final cut.
Nigeria head into the tournament brimming with confidence. The reigning African champions have built a formidable reputation on the continent and are increasingly becoming a competitive force on the global stage.
D’Tigress will open their campaign against Colombia on 11 March before facing South Korea on 12 March. They will then take on the Philippines on 14 March, hosts France on 15 March, and Germany on 17 March in what promises to be a demanding qualifying series.
At the end of the tournament, the top three teams in the group will secure qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, set to hold in Berlin, Germany, from 4 to 13 September.
Join the Savid News channel on WhatsApp:
