Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, unveiled their final 12-player roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifiers. FIBA confirmed the squad on Thursday, while the team also shared it via official social media.
The roster features experienced players like Ezinne Kalu, Sarah Ogoke, Amy Okonkwo, and Promise Amukamara. Rising talents such as Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro, and Blessing Ejiofor complete the lineup.
D’Tigress will compete in Lyon, France, from March 11 to 17. Their opening game is against Colombia on March 11, followed by matches versus South Korea, the Philippines, France, and Germany. The top three teams will progress to the next stage. Having already qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin by winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket, Nigeria will use the Lyon tournament to refine strategies and strengthen team chemistry.
FIBA recently ranked Nigeria eighth globally in its inaugural 2026 Women’s World Cup power rankings. Coach Rena Wakama trimmed the provisional roster to the final 12, balancing experience and emerging talent. Murjanatu Musa’s EuroLeague Women form and veterans Kalu and Okonkwo’s leadership boost Nigeria’s chances against France and Germany.
After the qualifiers, D’Tigress will tour the United States in April. They will face the Minnesota Lynx in a historic WNBA exhibition, marking the first time an African national team meets a WNBA franchise. Nigeria aims to build on its 2006 and 2018 World Cup experiences as it prepares for Berlin 2026.
