Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, fell narrowly to Turkey on Friday, losing 77–76 in a fiercely contested international friendly in Istanbul as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
The match came less than three months after D’Tigress claimed a historic fifth straight AfroBasket title in Abidjan, and it offered the African champions an important test against one of Europe’s top basketball nations.
It was also Nigeria’s first outing since lifting the continental trophy, marking the beginning of their transition from African dominance to global competition.
Turkey edged the first quarter 15–14, before D’Tigress responded with an energetic second-quarter burst to take control of the game. The hosts, however, regained momentum in the third quarter, outscoring Nigeria 22–12.
Both sides fought hard in the closing minutes, but despite a late rally from the Nigerians, Turkey held on for a one-point victory.
Nigeria started with Sarah Ogoke, Grace Efosa, Nicole Enabosi, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, and Rita Igbokwe. The lineup showed impressive chemistry despite arriving at the camp with limited preparation time. Their defensive intensity and ball movement were bright spots for the technical crew, who are using these friendlies to evaluate the squad ahead of the demanding qualifying window.
The match also offered Nigeria’s coaches an opportunity to test new combinations following their AfroBasket triumph, where D’Tigress stretched their unbeaten run on the continent to 29 games. Facing a disciplined Turkish team allowed the side to measure their readiness for the tougher challenges that await outside Africa.
Beyond the action on the court, the fixture highlighted ongoing backing from team partners Xejet and AFA Sports, who continue to support Nigeria’s women’s programme.
Task ahead
While other friendly game are expected in the weeks ahead, major attention is on the FIBA World Cup qualifying series, scheduled for 11–17 March 2026 in four cities: Lyon-Villeurbanne (France), Wuhan (China), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Istanbul (Turkey).
Twenty-four nations will compete for 16 tickets to the World Cup in Berlin.
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Nigeria were handed a challenging draw in October, placed in a group that includes:
France — European heavyweights and tournament hosts.
Germany — a rising force with home-soil advantage in 2026.
Korea, Colombia, and the Philippines — competitive sides seeking a breakthrough at global level.
Nigeria enter the qualifiers as Africa’s champions, alongside Australia (Asia Cup winners), Belgium (EuroBasket champions), and the United States (AmeriCup winners).
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup will take place in Berlin from 4 to 13 September 2026.
