African champions, D’Tigress, will tip off their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign against South Korea in Berlin today, seeking to build on their strong momentum on the global stage.
Nigeria is making its third appearance at the flagship tournament following previous outings in 2006 and 2018. Entering the tournament as reigning AfroBasket champions, D’Tigress will rely on star forward Amy Okonkwo to lead their offensive strategy.
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Head Coach Rena Wakama has finalized her 12-player roster for the tournament, assembling a balanced squad of experienced veterans and emerging talent.
South Korea enters the matchup making an 18th consecutive World Cup appearance.
While historically two-time finalists, the Asian side has not reached the quarter-finals since 2010 and finished 10th at the 2022 tournament in Sydney.
Head-to-head history presents a competitive rivalry: South Korea previously pulled off a notable upset against Nigeria during World Cup qualifiers, but D’Tigress hold two previous victories over the South Koreans—a 70–69 win in the 2016 qualifying tournament and a 68–64 triumph at the 2004 Olympic Games.
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