Nigeria’s D’Tigress have been ranked eighth in the latest FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Power Rankings ahead of the 2026 tournament in Germany.
The ranking places Nigeria among the top 10 teams in the world, with D’Tigress moving up one position from the previous ranking, according to the latest edition of the Power Rankings.
The United States remain top of the rankings, while France climbed two places to second. Australia dropped one place to third, with Spain moving up three places to fourth.
Belgium are fifth, China sixth, Germany seventh and Nigeria eighth. Italy and Japan complete the top 10 in ninth and 10th positions respectively.
D’Tigress’ eighth-place ranking carries particular significance, as the position represents their best-ever finish at both the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Nigeria achieved an eighth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup and repeated the feat at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they became the first African women’s basketball team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.
The big question now is whether D’Tigress can replicate that achievement or go a step further when they take to the court in Berlin.
Their performance at the qualifying tournament was inconsistent, leaving some uncertainty over their prospects. However, being drawn alongside South Korea and Hungary in the first phase of the World Cup provides Nigeria with a favourable opportunity to progress, although a meeting with second-ranked France represents a major challenge.
With a strong roster and considerable international experience, D’Tigress will be aiming to once again make history on the global stage and potentially surpass their previous quarter-final appearances.
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup will be held in Germany, with Nigeria hoping to turn their eighth-place Power Ranking into another deep run in the competition.
