Following their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has made history by breaking into the top 10 of the latest FIBA World Ranking Women—an unprecedented achievement for any African team.
Nigeria’s rise is part of a broader reshuffle in the rankings, driven by standout performances at the 2025 Continental Cups.
According to FIBA.com, Belgium’s national team, the Belgian Cats, now proudly holds a global top-five position for only the second time in their history. Their dramatic victory over Spain in one of the most memorable EuroBasket finals secured back-to-back titles and elevated them above their rivals.
D’Tigress, crowned AfroBasket champions for the fifth time in a row, climbed three places to 8th, reaffirming their status as Africa’s leading force in women’s basketball. They remain the only African team ever to reach the top 10.
Brazil also made a notable leap, moving into 9th after reaching the final of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. The USA, winners of that tournament, continue to hold the top spot. Australia’s gold at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 solidified their second-place ranking, while hosts China, who finished third, maintained their position in the top four.
In the top 20, Italy rose two places to 14th after earning its first EuroBasket medal in 30 years. Germany, Türkiye, and Czechia each moved up one spot thanks to strong showings.
Mali and Colombia made significant strides into the top 20. Mali, runners-up at AfroBasket, jumped six places to 18th, while Colombia soared 11 places to 19th after a top-five finish at the AmeriCup.
Other notable climbers include Lithuania, which returned to EuroBasket after a decade and reached the quarterfinals, jumping 14 places to 31st. South Sudan delivered one of the year’s most inspiring stories, debuting at AfroBasket and finishing third. Their remarkable run propelled them 31 places to 55th—an extraordinary rise from outside the top 100 just a year ago.
Lebanon climbed 13 places to 41st, Indonesia rose 19 spots to 60th, Iran moved up 15 places to 44th, and Mongolia surged 20 places to 70th—all following their performances at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, including Division B.
Culled from FIBA.com