Nigeria’s D’Tigress opened their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign with a defeat after losing 99–81 to South Korea in Berlin, Germany, on Friday.
The result means the African champions remain without a win in their opening fixture at the Women’s World Cup, while their struggles against Asian opposition at the tournament continue.
South Korea took control of the contest with a sustained attacking display, putting Nigeria under pressure and forcing the African side to play from behind for long periods.
D’Tigress attempted to close the gap but struggled to produce the consistency required to match their opponents. South Korea maintained its advantage through the latter stages before completing an 18-point victory.
The defeat leaves Nigeria with little room for error in their remaining Group B matches as they look to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
D’Tigress will face Hungary in their next fixture, with victory likely to be crucial to their hopes of progressing in the competition.
Nigeria will now need a much-improved performance against the Hungarians to recover from their disappointing opening result and remain in contention for a place in the next round.
