D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has named her final 12-player squad for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany, as the African champions prepare to begin another bid to make history on the global stage.
Captain Amy Okonkwo will lead a squad that combines experienced campaigners with emerging talents as Nigeria prepares for its third appearance at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, following previous outings in 2006 and 2018.
Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara are the only players in the squad who featured at the 2018 World Cup. Their selection means the duo will become the first Nigerian players to appear at two FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups.
D’Tigress arrived in Berlin on Wednesday ahead of the tournament, which runs from September 4 to 13. Nigeria has been drawn in Group B alongside Hungary, South Korea and France.
Nigeria will open its campaign against South Korea on Friday, September 4, before facing Hungary on Saturday, September 5. The African champions will then complete their group-stage campaign against France on Monday, September 7.
D’Tigress will be aiming to build on their historic performance at the 2018 edition, when Nigeria became the first African team to reach the quarter-finals. The team also enters the 2026 tournament after winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title.
With the 2026 World Cup expanded to 16 teams, the competition will feature four groups of four teams. Group winners advance directly to the quarter-finals, while second- and third-placed teams compete for the remaining quarter-final places.
D’Tigress Final 12
– Promise Amukamara
– Jordan Obi
– Elizabeth Balogun
– Murjanatu Musa
– Pallas Kunaiyi
– Rita Igbokwe
– Victoria Macaulay
– Ezinne Kalu
– Shay Ijiwoye
– Nicole Enabosi
– Amy Okonkwo (Captain)
– Grace Efosa
For Wakama and her players, the immediate challenge is to make a strong start in Berlin, with the African champions hoping their blend of experience and emerging talent can take them beyond their historic 2018 quarter-final run.
