Hungary secured their first FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup victory in 28 years by beating Nigeria’s D’Tigress 71-67 in Group B in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday.
The result leaves D’Tigress facing the prospect of an early exit after a second consecutive defeat at the 2026 tournament. Nigeria had begun their campaign with an 99-81 loss to South Korea, while Hungary were seeking a response after France defeated them 99-53 in their opening match.
Hungary established control early and remained in front for much of the contest. Their superior shooting efficiency helped them build an advantage, with partial updates putting them at about 51% from the field compared with Nigeria’s lower figure.
Juhasz and Takacs-Kiss were central to Hungary’s offensive response, combining for 36 points. Their contribution was particularly important after the heavy defeat by France, giving Hungary the platform to recover against one of the higher-ranked teams in the competition.
The forward made an immediate impact from the opening tip and produced 13 points and 11 rebounds in the first half. That performance helped Hungary impose themselves on the game and maintain control before the interval.
Nigeria managed to restore some momentum during the match, but they were unable to erase the deficit. Hungary retained a lead of roughly 10 points for long periods of the second half, keeping D’Tigress at a distance and preventing them from building a sustained comeback.
The decisive advantage came inside the paint. Hungary scored 42 points in that area and collected 38 defensive rebounds, allowing them to control the interior at both ends of the court. Their work on the defensive glass also restricted Nigeria’s opportunities to secure second-chance points.
The victory represented a notable upset in the group. Hungary entered the game ranked 19th in the FIBA World Rankings, 13 places below Nigeria, who are ranked eighth. They became the second team on Saturday to produce a major surprise after Mali defeated Spain earlier in the day.
For D’Tigress, attention now turns to their final Group B fixture against France on Monday, 7 September. Nigeria must overcome the team that beat Hungary by 46 points in the opening round if they are to remain in contention for a place in the knockout stage.
Hungary’s recovery means they have moved on from their difficult start and revived their hopes in the competition. Nigeria, meanwhile, will need a markedly improved performance against France after conceding 170 points across their first two games and suffering defeats by South Korea and Hungary.
The 71-67 scoreline also gave Hungary a narrow but significant victory over a Nigeria side that began the tournament with a higher world ranking. With the group stage reaching its decisive stage, D’Tigress have no margin for error in their final match.