D’Tigress Begins Training In France Ahead Of 2026 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have begun training in Lyon ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament 2026, which tips off on Wednesday.

The seven-time African champions arrived in Villeurbanne on Monday for the tournament scheduled from March 11 to 17. The team confirmed their arrival through a short video shared on their official social media pages.

Clips posted on Instagram showed the players stepping straight into work, with the squad taking part in shooting drills and a gym session as preparations began for their opening game against the Colombian women’s national basketball team.

All 12 players selected for the competition travelled to France alongside head coach Rena Wakama and her assistants.

Wakama linked up with the national side after wrapping up coaching duties with Hive Basketball Club in the 3×3 Unrivalled League.

Although D’Tigress have already secured their place at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin after winning Women’s AfroBasket 2025, the qualifiers will serve as another opportunity to sharpen the squad ahead of the global showpiece scheduled for September 4 to 13.

Nigeria open their campaign against Colombia on Wednesday before facing the South Korea women’s national basketball team on March 12.

Further fixtures include games against the Philippines women’s national basketball team on March 14, the hosts France women’s national basketball team on March 15 and Germany women’s national basketball team on March 17.

The squad blends experience and youth. Key figures include guards Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara, alongside team captain Amy Okonkwo. Also in the travelling party are Sarah Ogoke, Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro and Blessing Ejiofor.

Videos circulating from the camp captured a relaxed mood among the players as they continued their build-up with conditioning drills and shooting practice.

Nigeria head into the tournament with growing international respect. In the latest power rankings released by FIBA, the African champions were placed eighth in the world following their recent run of strong performances.

D’Tigress previously etched their name into history at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018 in Tenerife, becoming the first African team to progress beyond the group stage after victories over the Turkey women’s national basketball team and the Argentina women’s national basketball team.

The team has appeared at the global tournament twice before, first in 2006 in Brazil and again in 2018, and will hope to push even further when the next edition takes place in Berlin.

After the qualifiers in France, Nigeria will head to the United States in April for a landmark preseason exhibition against the Minnesota Lynx.

The fixture will mark the first time an African national team faces a Women’s National Basketball Association franchise as part of preparations for the World Cup.