Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have unveiled their final 12-player squad ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament scheduled to take place in Lyon, France.
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The squad was confirmed by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on Thursday and also announced on the team’s official social media platforms.
The roster features a blend of experienced stars and key contributors, including Ezinne Kalu, Sarah Ogoke, Amy Okonkwo and Promise Amukamara.
Other players named in the squad are Elizabeth Balogun, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Rita Igbokwe, Ifunaya Okoro and Blessing Ejiofor.
Nigeria, seven-time African champions, will compete in the qualifying tournament from March 11 to March 17. D’Tigress will open their campaign against Colombia on March 11 before facing South Korea on March 12.
They will then take on the Philippines on March 14, France on March 15, and Germany on March 17.
The top three teams from the group will advance to the next stage of the competition.
Although Nigeria have already secured automatic qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin after winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket title, the Lyon tournament will serve as an opportunity for the team to sharpen tactics and strengthen squad cohesion ahead of the global showpiece.
Host nation Germany, along with Australia, Belgium and the United States, have also qualified for the World Cup.
Head coach Rena Wakama had earlier released a provisional roster before trimming the list to the final 12 players for the tournament.
In the first edition of the FIBA Women’s World Cup 2026 power rankings, released on Thursday, Nigeria were placed eighth in the world, reflecting the team’s recent successes and the strength of its squad.
The form of Murjanatu Musa, who has impressed in the EuroLeague Women, as well as the experience of players like Kalu and Okonkwo, is expected to boost Nigeria’s chances as they face strong opponents such as France and Germany.
D’Tigress have previously featured at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2006 in Brazil and again in 2018 in Spain.
They will be aiming to improve on those performances when the tournament takes place in Germany in September 2026.
Following the qualifiers in France, the team is also scheduled to embark on a historic tour of the United States in April, where they will face WNBA side Minnesota Lynx in a preseason exhibition match.
The game will mark the first time an African national team plays against a WNBA franchise as part of preparations for the World Cup.
D’Tigress Final Squad (At a Glance)
Ezinne Kalu
Sarah Ogoke
Amy Okonkwo
Promise Amukamara
Elizabeth Balogun
Nicole Enabosi
Victoria Macaulay
Murjanatu Musa
Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah
Rita Igbokwe
Ifunaya Okoro
Blessing Ejiofor
