Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been placed in Pot 2 for the draw of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, underlining the team’s growing stature in global basketball.
The draw is scheduled for April 21 at Kraftwerk Berlin, where participating nations will be allocated into groups ahead of the tournament, set to take place in the German capital from September 4 to 13, 2026.
The seeding is based on the latest global rankings by FIBA, with Nigeria currently ranked eighth in the world. This places D’Tigress as the highest-ranked African team and the only side from the continent within the top 10.
Being in Pot 2 means Nigeria will avoid facing top-seeded teams such as the United States, France, Australia, and China in the group stage.
The 2026 tournament marks an expansion from 12 to 16 teams, reflecting the growing competitiveness of women’s basketball worldwide. Alongside Nigeria in Pot 2 are Belgium, Canada, and Spain, while other qualified nations include Serbia, Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, and Mali.
D’Tigress secured their place at the World Cup following a dominant run that included a fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in 2025. The team also impressed during the qualifying series in Lyon-Villeurbanne, recording wins against Colombia and the Philippines.
Under head coach Rena Wakama, the team has continued to build momentum, competing strongly even against higher-ranked opponents.
Nigeria will be aiming to surpass its best-ever World Cup performance, a quarter-final finish achieved in 2018. With a top-10 global ranking and favourable seeding, the team is increasingly viewed as a serious contender rather than an outsider.
The draw ceremony in Berlin is expected to feature prominent figures from the sport and will be broadcast live on FIBA’s official platforms.