D’Tigress lose 111-56 to France, knocked out of 2026 Women’s World Cup

France defeated Nigeria 111-56 in Berlin, knocking D’Tigress out of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup after three consecutive group-stage losses. The result left the African champions at the bottom of their group, ending a tournament where they had previously lost to South Korea and Hungary.

Despite entering the World Cup as five-time defending AfroBasket champions and fresh from their first-ever Olympic quarter‑finals appearance in 2024, the D’Tigress struggled to match their continental dominance on the global stage. France jumped to a 31‑13 lead after the opening quarter, extended it to 65‑26 at halftime, and stretched the margin to 95‑36 after three quarters. Nigeria showed some fight in the final period but could not alter the outcome.

This loss marks Nigeria’s third Women’s World Cup appearance and represents a major setback from their 2018 run, when they reached the quarter‑finals. Recall that Nigeria had qualified for the 2022 edition but did not participate after a self‑imposed ban on national teams. What steps should Nigerian basketball authorities take to ensure continental success translates to World Cup competitiveness?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/09/07/dtigress-fall-to-france-bow-out-of-womens-world-cup/