D'Tigress hold firm in FIBA rankings top 10
African champions Nigeria’s D’Tigress have retained their place among the world’s elite, sitting 8th in the latest FIBA Women’s World Rankings with 700.3 points.
Once again, Nigeria stand as the only African nation in the global top 10, a testament to their consistency, resilience, and growing reputation on the international stage.
The rankings, released on March 20, come on the heels of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments, a stretch that saw D’Tigress test themselves against some of the world’s strongest sides. It was a campaign that delivered both moments of dominance and hard-fought lessons.
They opened brightly in Lyon, cruising to a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia. However, a 77–60 loss to South Korea followed before the team responded in emphatic fashion, putting up an impressive 101–84 win against the Philippines. A spirited comeback against hosts France showed their fighting character, but ultimately ended in a 93–86 defeat. Their qualifying run concluded with an 81–73 loss to Germany, while a narrow 77–76 defeat to Turkey in a pre-qualifier friendly highlighted just how fine the margins can be at this level.
At the summit of the rankings, the United States continue to lead the pack, with France climbing to second ahead of Australia. China and Belgium round out the top five.
Elsewhere in Africa, Mali remain the next best-ranked side at 18th in the world, the only other team from the continent in the top 20. Senegal sit 22nd, while Mozambique (34th) and Cameroon (37th) maintain their positions among Africa’s top contenders within the global top 40.
Join the Savid News channel on WhatsApp:
