Nigeria’s D’Tigress have been eliminated from the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup after France defeated South Korea 95-69 in their Group B clash on Saturday.
The result means Nigeria’s final group game against France on Monday will no longer have any bearing on qualification.
D’Tigress entered the tournament hoping to build on their strong recent record on the international stage, but their campaign has taken a difficult turn after two defeats in Berlin.
Nigeria opened with a 99-81 loss to South Korea before falling 71-67 to Hungary in their second game on Saturday.
Against Hungary, D’Tigress trailed 21-13 after the opening quarter and went into halftime 10 points behind at 36-26. Hungary maintained the advantage through the third quarter before Nigeria produced a late fightback.
D’Tigress outscored Hungary 25-19 in the final period and cut the deficit to two points, but they could not complete the comeback as Hungary held on for the victory.
The early exit represents a setback for Nigeria, particularly after their historic quarter-final run at the 2018 World Cup, where they finished eighth.
D’Tigress have made only three World Cup appearances, in 2006, 2018 and 2026, with Nigeria withdrawing from the 2022 edition.
Now, with qualification no longer possible, the focus shifts to Monday’s meeting with France and the bigger questions surrounding Nigeria’s preparation, player development and performance on the world stage.
For D’Tigress, the final game offers an opportunity to end a disappointing campaign on a stronger note.
