Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, began their FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament campaign with a dominant 70 to 37 victory over Colombia in France.

The seven-time African champions opened the tournament with a commanding performance, asserting their superiority in all facets of the game as they seek to sharpen their preparations for the 2026 World Cup in Berlin.

Under the guidance of head coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian side quickly set the tone with a first-quarter 18–12 lead, before steadily extending their advantage in a methodical display of offensive precision and defensive discipline.

This opening victory marked Wakama’s 14th competitive win since her appointment as D’Tigress coach in July 2023, extending her record to 77 per cent victories from 18 competitive matches, with losses coming against Belgium, France, and twice against the United States.

Although D’Tigress have already secured a place at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup by virtue of winning the Women’s AfroBasket 2025 title, the qualifiers provide an invaluable opportunity to test their depth and tactical flexibility against international.

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