Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, suffered a heavy 83-58 defeat to Spain in a World Cup warm up match as both teams stepped up preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.

The defeat came on Friday at the Santiago Martín Arena in Tenerife, Spain, where the African champions struggled to maintain their early momentum against a Spanish side that produced a much stronger second-half performance. Blueprint reports

D’Tigress make bright start

D’Tigress made a promising start to the contest and gave Spain plenty to worry about during the opening stages.

Nigeria’s physical approach and early offensive efficiency allowed the African champions to stay competitive before Spain gradually found its rhythm.

However, the hosts returned from the interval with a completely different intensity, tightening their defence and becoming more effective from beyond the three-point line.

Spain ultimately pulled away in the second half, outscoring Nigeria 47-18 after the break to turn the contest into a comfortable victory.

The Spanish side finished the game with an impressive 15 three pointers from 27 attempts, while Iyana Martín led the scoring with 15 points and Andrea Vilaró added 12 points, including four three pointers.

Wakama gets another test

For D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama, the encounter provided another important opportunity to assess her players and identify areas that require improvement before the World Cup.

The Nigerian team had travelled to Spain after completing a three game exhibition series in China, where they ended their campaign on a positive note with an 88-77 victory over the hosts.

D’Tigress had lost the first two games of the series 70-67 and 69-65 before bouncing back strongly in the final encounter.

The Spain game therefore represented another significant test against a high ranked European opponent as Nigeria continues its extensive preparation for the global tournament.

More friendlies ahead

Despite the setback, D’Tigress still have further opportunities to fine tune their preparations before the World Cup.

Nigeria are scheduled to face Belgium in Tenerife before travelling to Zaragoza for additional warm up matches against Mali and Puerto Rico.

The remaining fixtures are expected to give Wakama further opportunities to work on the team’s defensive organisation, offensive execution and overall cohesion.

The African champions will need to make the most of the remaining games as they seek to build momentum ahead of their World Cup campaign.

D’Tigress face tough World Cup group

Nigeria will compete in Group B at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup alongside South Korea, Hungary and France.

D’Tigress will open their campaign against South Korea on September 4 before facing Hungary on September 5 and France on September 7.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, from September 4 to 13.

Nigeria qualified automatically for the World Cup after winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title, their fifth consecutive continental championship. The team will also enter the competition with renewed confidence following its historic run at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where D’Tigress became the first African team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.

The defeat to Spain will therefore serve as a reminder of the level of competition awaiting Nigeria in Germany.

With more warm up matches still to come, Wakama and her players will be hoping to correct the shortcomings exposed by the Spanish side and return to winning ways before the World Cup begins.