Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have been drawn into a challenging group alongside France, Germany, Korea, Philippines, and Colombia in the final qualifying phase for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026.

The draw took place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, conducted by German star Marie Guelich and former French captain Endy Miyem.

D’Tigress will compete in one of four qualifying tournaments to be held in France, Turkey, China, and Puerto Rico from March 11 to 17, 2026. A total of 24 nations have been divided into four groups of six teams each, battling for 16 spots at the World Cup Finals in Germany.

In each qualifying tournament, the top three teams will advance to the World Cup, along with one Continental Cup winner. However, in the group containing World Cup hosts Germany, only the top two teams will qualify automatically, joining Germany and a Continental Cup champion.

The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup will feature 16 teams and take place from September 4–13, 2026, at two venues in Berlin, Germany.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress, four-time AfroBasket champions, will be looking to secure their third consecutive World Cup appearance and continue their rise on the global stage despite facing some of the world’s strongest basketball nations in the qualifiers. (Daily Trust)