**D'Tigress Face Off Against France in Crucial World Cup Qualifier** Nigeria's senior women's basketball team, affectionately known as D'Tigress, is set to face a daunting challenge against the hosts, France, in a World Cup qualifier match. This encounter is part of the build-up to the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, which will take place in Berlin, Germany from 4 to 13 September 2026. The match will be played at the Astroballe Arena, and it's an opportunity for the African champions to test their skills against top international teams and improve their global ranking. Although Nigeria has already secured a spot at the World Cup by winning the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket, this competition will provide valuable experience and help them gauge their strength against top European teams. In their first three matches, D'Tigress have shown promise, registering two wins and one defeat. They started strongly with a 70-37 thrashing of Colombia, before suffering a 77-60 loss to South Korea. However, they bounced back in style, coming from behind at half-time to beat the Philippines 101-84. This victory demonstrated their attacking prowess, as they scored over 100 points for the first time in the tournament. Under the leadership of head coach Rena Wakama, who made history as the first woman to coach Nigeria's senior women's national basketball team, D'Tigress have achieved impressive results, including winning the AfroBasket title and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2024 Summer Olympics. The match against France is expected to be the toughest test for D'Tigress so far, as the European team is one of the strongest basketball nations in the world. However, with their recent performances and experience, the Nigerian team is confident of putting up a good fight.