Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has described as “challenging but inspiring” the “group of death” involving D’Tigress in this year’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

The African champions are paired against France, Hungary and South Korea, a lineup seen as the most competitive in the tournament.
However, for NBBF President, Ahmadu Musa Kida, the group is ‘challenging but inspiring.’

Speaking ahead of the World Cup billed for later this year in Germany, Kida said that the D’Tigress are as good as other opponents in the group.

While reaffirming Nigeria’s preparedness to compete at the highest level of global basketball, Kida, who spoke through his media aide, Oluchi Tobechuckwu, said: “At this stage of international competition, there are no easy opponents.

Being drawn against top basketball nations such as France, Hungary and South Korea underscores the level of excellence expected at the World Cup. However, our girls have consistently demonstrated their resolve, discipline, and championship pedigree. We are confident in their ability, and personally, I am confident in their ability to rise to the occasion.”

The expanded 2026 FIBA World Cup will be held in Germany from September 4 to 13 with 16 of the world’s top teams, an increase from previous editions.

Nigeria secured qualification as one of Africa’s leading representatives and was seeded in Pot 2 ahead of the draw.

D’Tigress, widely respected for their consistency and dominance within Africa, now face a group that blends elite European structure with the tactical discipline characteristic of Asian basketball.

While the French women’s national basketball team enters the competition as one of the highest-ranked sides globally, both Hungary and South Korea women’s national basketball teams bring technical depth and competitive experience, making Group B a true test of character and quality.

Despite the perceived difficulty, Kida emphasised that the federation views the draw as an opportunity rather than a setback.

“D’Tigress are not new to overcoming adversity,” he said. “Our journey in recent years has been defined by determination, unity, and a winning mentality.| This draw provides another platform to showcase Nigerian excellence, inspire the next generation, and further elevate our status in world basketball.”

The NBBF boss further reiterated the board’s commitment to ensuring optimal preparation for the team, including high-performance training camps and increased international exposure as part of the build-up to the tournament.

In line with this commitment, the federation has intensified preparations by securing a series of high-profile international friendlies in the United States against top Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchises as part of the pre-season calendar.

These teams will provide D’Tigress with elite-level competition and valuable exposure against some of the best players and systems in world basketball, serving as a critical component of their preparations ahead of the World Cup in Germany.