Nigeria's D'Tigress have been eliminated from the FIBA Women's World Cup 2026 after a 111-56 defeat by France on 7 September in Berlin, finishing last in Group B with three losses. France dominated from the opening tip, winning the first quarter 31-13 and stretching the lead to 39 points by halftime.
The French set a new Women's World Cup record with 22 three-pointers in the game. Gabby Williams led France with 25 points, as the European side shot 58% from the field compared to Nigeria's 28%. France converted their outside shooting into a decisive edge across all four quarters.
The D'Tigress had already fallen to South Korea 99-81 and Hungary 71-67 earlier in the group stage. The elimination cuts short the momentum built at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Nigeria became the first African team, male or female, to reach the Olympic basketball quarterfinals after a win over Australia.
African representation at the tournament still carries positives. Mali delivered one of the biggest surprises by defeating Spain earlier in the competition, underlining the continent's growing competitiveness against traditional powerhouses.
For Nigeria, the focus turns to regrouping ahead of future competitions. The loss to France exposed gaps in bench depth and long-range shooting against the world's top teams, areas the D'Tigress will need to address to defend their status as African champions.
