Nigeria’s Nigeria women’s national basketball team have expressed confidence that lessons from their recent qualifying tournament will strengthen the team ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026.
The African champions finished their qualifying campaign with two victories and three defeats, recording wins against Colombia and the Philippines, while falling to South Korea, France and Germany.
Despite the mixed results, Nigeria had already secured qualification for the global tournament after winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket, with the qualifiers serving mainly as preparation for the main event.
Head coach Rena Wakama said the demanding schedule offered valuable lessons for the squad and would help shape stronger performances before the World Cup begins.
According to her, playing five matches within seven days tested the team physically and mentally but also exposed key areas requiring improvement.
Wakama noted that the experience would help the team arrive better prepared for the competition in September
Guard Elizabeth Balogun also stressed the need for continuous development, saying players would now review performances, identify weaknesses and improve team chemistry.
She said the focus remains on individual growth and collective improvement as the squad prepares for tougher opposition.
The coach added that Nigeria must improve its starts in games and make better decisions during critical periods, pointing to lapses observed during the qualifiers.
She explained that the team showed signs of inconsistency in areas already addressed during training and called for greater concentration from the opening moments of matches.
The tournament will be staged in Berlin from September 4 to 13, while the official draw is scheduled for April 21 at Kraftwerk Berlin.
Nigeria, who previously appeared at the tournament in 2006 and 2018, will be aiming for a stronger impact this time on the global stage
As part of preparations, D’Tigress are also expected to play a historic exhibition game in the United States against the Minnesota Lynx, marking the first time an African national team will face a Women’s National Basketball Association franchise.
