African champions D’Tigress will begin their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign against South Korea in Berlin on Friday, seeking to build on their historic performance at the previous edition of the tournament.
Nigeria are making their third appearance at the Women’s World Cup, having previously competed in 2006 and 2018. They enter the competition as reigning AfroBasket champions, with two-time tournament MVP Amy Okonkwo expected to spearhead their attack.
Okonkwo averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds during Nigeria’s AfroBasket campaign, while forward Murjanatu Musa also produced an impressive all-round display, averaging 7.8 points and 7.8 rebounds.
Musa’s presence in the paint could be crucial against a South Korean side ranked 15th in the world.
South Korea are appearing at the World Cup for an 18th consecutive time. Although they have reached the final twice, they have not progressed to the quarter-finals since 2010 and finished 10th in Sydney four years ago.
Guard Lee-Seul Kang is one of the Koreans’ principal attacking threats. She averaged 18.6 points and 1.6 steals during this year’s qualifying tournament and set a competition record by making eight three-pointers against the Philippines.
Jihyun Park is another player Nigeria will have to contain after averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in qualifying.
The Koreans will also draw confidence from their previous meeting with Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers, when they recorded one of the competition’s biggest upsets.
Nigeria had won the two previous encounters between the sides, beating South Korea 70-69 in the 2016 qualifying tournament after a 68-64 victory in an Olympic Games match in 2004.
Wakama Names Final Squad
D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has selected her final 12-player squad for the tournament, combining experienced campaigners with emerging talent.
Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara will join Aisha Mohammed in becoming only the third and fourth Nigerian players to appear at two FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups.
Nigeria’s final roster consists of Promise Amukamara, Jordan Obi, Elizabeth Balogun, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunaiyi, Rita Igbokwe, Victoria Macaulay, Ezinne Kalu, Shay Ijiwoye, Nicole Enabosi, Amy Okonkwo and Grace Efosa.
Following Friday’s opener against South Korea, Nigeria will face Hungary on 5 September at Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle before rounding off the group stage against France on 7 September at the Berlin Arena.
D’Tigress will be aiming to surpass their previous best World Cup performance after making history in 2018 as the first African team to reach the quarter-finals.
