Nigeria have named their squad for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which tips off in Berlin, Germany, today.
Head coach Rena Wakama will lead the African champions at the tournament, scheduled for September 4 to 13.
The squad includes established internationals Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Murjanatu Musa and Victoria Macaulay.
Elizabeth Balogun, Rita Igbokwe, Jordan Obi, Grace Efosa-Aguebor, Ifunanya Okoro, Nora Ezike, Nicole Enabosi, Uche Izoje, Maryam Dauda, Gabby White and Idubamo Beggi are also listed for the tournament.
Nigeria head to Berlin as five-time defending African champions after extending their continental dominance at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.
D’Tigress will open their World Cup campaign against Korea today before facing Hungary tomorrow. They will complete their group fixtures against France on September 7.
Meanwhile, basketball stakeholders and former international players have rallied behind the D’Tigress, urging them to maintain their momentum as the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup gets underway in Berlin, Germany.
Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd.), FIBA Africa Zone 3 President and Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board member, called on the squad to draw inspiration from their previous global outings and continental dominance.
Pointing to the team’s historical success, including a quarter-final finish at the 2018 World Cup in Spain and a quarter-final appearance at the Paris Olympics, Ahmedu charged the players to maintain the competitive spirit that secured their seven African titles.
Former national team captains and WNBA veterans Mfon Udoka and Mactabene Amachree also delivered messages of support to the squad. Both players, who were instrumental in Nigeria’s 2003 and 2005 Afrobasket victories and later held managerial roles during the team’s 2017 resurgence, expressed confidence in the current roster.
The 2026 World Cup campaign relies on an experienced core featuring long-serving guards Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara, alongside Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Victoria Macaulay, and Murjanatu Musa under head coach Rena Wakama. The stakeholders urged the squad to leverage their collective international experience to secure further progress on the world stage.