Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have maintained their 8th position in the latest FIBA power rankings following the 2026 Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in France.
The African champions showed a mix of strength and struggle during the qualifiers, winning key games but also facing tough losses against top teams.
D’Tigress opened their campaign strongly with a dominant win over Colombia, but suffered a 77–60 defeat to South Korea in their second game.
However, they bounced back in style with a thrilling 101–84 comeback victory over the Philippines.
After trailing 51–42 at halftime, the team exploded in the third quarter, scoring 34 points to take control of the game.
The performance showed the team’s fighting spirit.
Head coach Rena Wakama had earlier said after the South Korea loss: “There are lessons in losses… we are going to take the lessons and try to get better.”
Despite losses to stronger sides like France and Germany, D’Tigress remained competitive, using the tournament as preparation for the main event.
Nigeria had already qualified for the World Cup after winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket, where they extended their dominance in Africa.
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is set to take place in Berlin, Germany, later this year, bringing together the best teams in the world.
D’Tigress, who reached the quarterfinals in previous global competitions, will be aiming to improve their performance on the world stage.
For now, their steady position in the rankings shows they remain one of the top teams globally, even as they continue to build toward the World Cup.
