African champions, Nigeria D’Tigress, have been drawn to face France, Colombia, the Philippines, Germany, and Korea in Qualifying Tournament D of the FIBA WWC 2026, www.aclsports.com reports.
The draw, held on October 7 in Mies, Switzerland, finalized the matchups for the final stage of qualification ahead of next year’s Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany. D’Tigress will compete in Lyon-Villeurbanne, France, from March 11 to 17, 2026, one of four cities selected by FIBA to host the qualifying tournaments.
Although Nigeria have already secured automatic qualification as winners of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025, they will still participate alongside other Continental Cup champions, USA, Australia, and Belgium, and hosts Germany. Their participation ensures high-level competition while offering valuable preparation ahead of the global tournament.
The qualifying tournaments will take place across four cities, Wuhan (China), Lyon-Villeurbanne (France), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Istanbul (Türkiye), featuring 24 teams in total. Each city will host six teams, with 11 qualification spots still available. The top three teams from each tournament will earn their place in Berlin, joining the automatically qualified nations.
D’Tigress’ group in Lyon promises to be highly competitive. Hosts France and Germany are among Europe’s strongest sides, while Korea and the Philippines offer speed and flair from Asia, and Colombia bring South American energy and resilience. For Nigeria, it is an ideal opportunity to face top-level opposition and build cohesion ahead of the World Cup.
Full Draw
Wuhan (CHN): Mali, South Sudan, Brazil, Belgium, Czech Republic, China
Lyon-Villeurbanne (FRA): Colombia, Philippines, Germany, Korea, France, Nigeria
San Juan (PUR): New Zealand, Puerto Rico, USA, Senegal, Italy, Spain
Istanbul (TUR): Hungary, Türkiye, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan
