FIBA Women’s Ranking: Nigeria holds 8th spot, retains Africa’s No.1

By Joe Apu

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have maintained their position as the eighth-best team in the world and number one in Africa in the latest FIBA Women’s World Rankings.

The rankings, updated following the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments, saw no movement for the reigning African champions, who continue to assert their dominance on the continent while holding firm among the global elite.

At the top of the standings, the United States remain unshaken in first place after an unbeaten outing in San Juan, while France climbed to second position ahead of Australia following a flawless qualifying campaign on home soil.

Despite strong competition from across the globe, Nigeria’s consistency and recent performances 2-3 record in Lyon ensured they retained both their global top-10 status and continental supremacy, staying ahead of other African challengers.

The latest rankings will be instrumental in determining seedings for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 draw scheduled for April 21.

France emerged as the biggest mover at the top end of the rankings, climbing to second place ahead of Australia. The Europeans delivered an outstanding performance in Lyon-Villeurbanne, winning all five of their games and earning bonus points for commanding victories on home soil.

Belgium also made notable progress, closing the gap on China to less than a point after an impressive unbeaten campaign in Wuhan, which included a statement victory over the Asian giants.

Japan returned to the top 10, moving up to 10th place after securing qualification for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 with key wins over Canada and Argentina in Istanbul.

Host nation Germany also climbed one spot to 11th, buoyed by four strong wins during the qualifiers, including a notable triumph over African champions Nigeria.

Elsewhere, Senegal and Argentina recorded the biggest gains among African and American teams respectively. Senegal moved up three places to 23rd, while Argentina rose four spots to 24th after both sides remained in contention until the final day of qualifying action.

The Philippines made history on their debut, securing their first-ever global win and rising nine places to 30th, marking a significant milestone for the nation.

South Sudan recorded the most dramatic rise, jumping 13 places to break into the top 50 for the first time, now ranked 42nd, with their participation in Wuhan proving pivotal despite not securing a win.