The national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, is ramping up preparations for the 2026 FIBA World Cup with friendly games against some elite teams in the United States’ Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) league.

The games, which is part of the team’s training tour of the United States, is expected to put the girls in good stead for the FIBA World Cup billed to hold in Berlin, Germany, later in the year.

The NBBF said yesterday that the tour, which is in collaboration with teams from WNBA, marks another defining step in Nigeria’s continued rise as a global force in women’s basketball.

According to the team’s itinerary, D’Tigress will face elite competition across three major U.S. cities, beginning from Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks in San Diego, followed by a matchup with the Minnesota Lynx on April 27 in Kansas City, and concluding on May 2 against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis.

These games, the Federation said, present a unique opportunity for Nigeria to compete against some of the most accomplished players and systems in world basketball, reinforcing the Federation’s commitment to preparation at the highest level.

Explaining the tour, NBBF President, Musa Kida said: “This initiative reflects a clear and deliberate vision to cultivate the very best Nigerian basketball talent across the globe and unify it within a single, high-performance national team ecosystem.

“Nigeria’s strength lies in its global footprint, and D’Tigress continues to embody a powerful blend of experience, athleticism, and elite-level competitiveness drawn from the world’s top leagues.

“The objective remains uncompromising: to assemble a team capable of competing with and defeating the very best.”

He said that the tour represents more than preparation, “it represents intent. We are building a team that reflects the full strength of Nigerian basketball across the world.

“Our focus is on excellence, structure, and long-term success. D’Tigress has established itself as a dominant force in Africa, but our ambitions are global.

“Every step we take now is with the World Cup in mind, and our objective is clear; to compete at the highest level and bring that title to Nigeria.”

Head Coach Rena Wakama believes that “opportunities like this are critical for our growth as a team. Competing against top WNBA talent challenges us in every aspect of the game, physically, mentally, and tactically.

“It allows us to refine our identity and build the cohesion needed to succeed on the world stage. We are not just preparing to show up, we are preparing to make a statement.”

Also speaking on the broader vision behind the tour, NBBF’s Sponsorship and Marketing Committee Chairman, Ugo Udezue, emphasised the importance of brand building and global alignment.

“This tour is a strategic moment for Nigerian basketball. Beyond competition, we are intentionally building D’Tigress into a global sports brand, one that connects performance with culture, commerce, and community.

“Through curated activations across key U.S. markets and meaningful engagement with the diaspora, we are expanding the reach and value of the team.

“Our alignment with partners like Flutterwave, enables us to bridge continents digitally, unlock new commercial pathways, and create a seamless connection between our fans and the team. This is how we build something enduring, scalable, and globally competitive.”