D’Tigress Draw France, South Korea, Hungary in FIBA Women’s World Cup Group B

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team D’Tigress have been drawn in Group B of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup alongside France, South Korea, and Hungary, with the tournament scheduled for September 4-13 in Germany.

The five-time consecutive African champions, who reached the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics with victories over Australia and Canada, face a tough but navigable group stage.

Qualifiers Form Guide

D’Tigress lost 93-86 to world No. 3 France at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon last month, mounting a spirited second-half comeback before ultimately falling short. South Korea also got the better of Nigeria with a 77-60 win at the same qualifiers.

Group B’s third team, Hungary, present another European challenge with their disciplined structure and physical play.

NBBF Vows Readiness

Nigeria Basketball Federation First Vice President Babs Ogunade insisted D’Tigress would be adequately prepared for the challenge. “All hands are on deck to strengthen the team ahead of the FIBA Women’s World Cup. We understand what is at stake,” he told ThisDay.

“We are not going into a gun fight with a pen knife. We will give it our best shots,” Ogunade added, acknowledging that the World Cup represents a significant step up from the AfroBasket dominance D’Tigress have enjoyed for years.

Sources: ThisDay, NewTelegraph, VON