MFM Queens have secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Final Round in Cairo, Egypt, after winning four of their five matches at the Zone 3 qualifying tournament in Monrovia, Liberia.
The Nigerian champions finished second behind Côte d’Ivoire’s Friends Basketball Association (FBA) to claim one of the two qualification tickets available from the West African zone.
The competition, held from November 4 to 8, featured six clubs competing for places in the continental finals. MFM demonstrated their quality with an impressive run of victories before FBA ended their unbeaten streak in the final fixture.
MFM began their campaign with a convincing 59–36 victory over fellow Nigerian side First Bank on November 4. The Queens followed up with a commanding 77–46 win against Liberia’s Flames the following day.
Their strongest performance came against another Liberian representative, D-Rockas, whom they defeated 91–33 on November 6. Marvis Hembam led the scoring with 25 points as MFM recorded a 58-point winning margin.
The Folashade Olukoya Queens confirmed their place in Cairo with a 77–66 victory over Benin Republic’s Energie BBC on November 7. Hembam contributed 21 points, while Abigail Isaac added 16 and Idubamo Beggi scored 11.
The victory guaranteed MFM a place in the final round, regardless of the outcome of their last group fixture.
However, the Nigerian side suffered their only defeat against FBA on November 8, losing 77–59 in a contest that determined the tournament’s leading team.
FBA produced a strong fourth-quarter performance, scoring 31 points against MFM’s 17 to secure an 18-point victory. Idubamo Beggi finished with 19 points for the Nigerian side, while Abigail Isaac contributed 12.
Despite the setback, MFM completed the qualifying campaign with four victories from five matches, scoring 364 points and conceding 258.
MFM Queens Set for Cairo Challenge
The qualification represents another significant achievement for MFM Queens, who secured their place in the continental competition after winning the 2026 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League without losing a match.
Their next assignment will be the WBLA Final Round in Cairo, scheduled for December 11–20, 2026.
They will face stronger opposition from across the continent, including FBA, who finished ahead of them in Monrovia. Egyptian clubs Al Ahly Sporting Club and Sporting Club Alexandria have also secured automatic places in the final round.
For MFM, the objective now extends beyond qualification. The Lagos-based club will seek to translate its domestic dominance into continental success and challenge for the African women’s club basketball title.
Having demonstrated their scoring ability and competitive depth in Liberia, the Queens will head to Egypt hoping to make history for Nigerian women’s basketball.
