D’Tigress Begin FIBA Women’s World Cup Campaign Without Five Key Players
Nigeria’s D’Tigress will open their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign against South Korea in Berlin on Friday, with five players from the extended squad unavailable for the tournament.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has provided clarification on the late adjustments to the team’s roster, stressing that the absences are unrelated to player performance, fitness, discipline or selection decisions.
Guard Ifunanya Okoro was unable to travel with the delegation after her entry visa was not issued within the required tournament travel window, despite the necessary documentation being submitted through the appropriate channels.
Three other players — Gabby White, Uche Izoje and Favour Nwaedozi — have returned to their respective universities following the resumption of the academic session.
Their academic commitments coincided with the World Cup, making their participation impossible.
The NBBF said it appreciates the players’ contributions during preparations and respects their academic responsibilities, while expressing confidence that they will return to the national team in future.
Guard Shay Ijiwoye was included in the roster submitted to FIBA but could not be cleared to play because her eligibility documentation was not completed before the registration deadline.
Unlike the other four players, Ijiwoye is currently in Berlin with the delegation and will remain with the team in a support capacity throughout the tournament.
The federation emphasised that none of the five players was dropped, sanctioned or deliberately excluded from the World Cup squad.
NBBF General Manager of the national women’s team, Musa Adamu, described the circumstances as separate issues that occurred within a short period and acknowledged the need for improvements in the federation’s administrative processes.
Adamu confirmed that the NBBF has ordered a comprehensive review of its registration and travel procedures to ensure similar situations do not prevent Nigerian athletes from participating in major international competitions in the future.
Despite the late roster changes, Head Coach Rena Wakama has 12 cleared players available for the tournament.
D’Tigress enter the World Cup as reigning African champions and will face South Korea in their opening Group B fixture at the Berlin Arena on Friday.
Nigeria will subsequently meet Hungary and France in the group stage as they target a strong start to their World Cup campaign.
The encounter against South Korea represents the first opportunity for Wakama’s side to demonstrate that the late squad adjustments will not derail their ambitions at the global tournament.
