…D’Tigress to face Colombia on Wednesday
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have arrived in Villeurbanne, Lyon, ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament scheduled to take place from March 11 to 17.
All 12 players, alongside head coach Rena Wakama and her assistants, have touched down in France for the competition. Wakama recently concluded coaching duties with Hive Basketball Club in the 3×3 Unrivalled League before linking up with the national team for the tournament.
Although D’Tigress have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, Germany, later this year after emerging as African champions, the team will use the qualifying tournament as valuable preparation for the global showpiece scheduled to hold from September 4 to September 13.
Nigeria will face France, Germany, Colombia, South Korea, and the Philippines during the tournament.
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Videos circulating from the team’s camp show the players in high spirits as they continue their preparations with gym sessions and shooting drills.
The squad features several experienced stars including guards Promise Amukamara and Ezinne Kalu, as well as team captain Amy Okonkwo, who are expected to play key roles throughout the tournament.
D’Tigress previously made history at the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, becoming the first African team to advance from the group stage after defeating Turkey and Argentina.
They went on to edge Greece 57–56 in the quarterfinal qualification round before falling 71–40 to eventual champions, the United States, in the quarterfinal.
Despite qualifying for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia, the team was unable to participate due to funding issues involving the Nigeria Basketball Federation, a situation that led to the resignation of several key players at the time.
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