Nigeria and Mali are set for battle at the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup. Drawn into tough groups, both teams aim to showcase Africa’s rising talent. Can they overcome the odds and make history on the global stage?
Last Updated on
February 4, 2025
Following the draw for the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, the stage is now set for the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from July 12 to 20 in Brno, Czechia.
Mali has been drawn into Group C, facing a daunting challenge against Australia, France, and Brazil. On the other hand, Nigeria is set to make its long-awaited return to the competition after being drawn in Group B alongside Portugal, Canada, and China. This will mark Nigeria’s second official qualification for the tournament, following their absence from the 2011 edition in Puerto Montt, Chile. Back then, Nigeria had originally been drawn into Group C, alongside Australia, host nation Chile, and France, but ultimately withdrew at short notice.
The West African nation secured its place in this year’s tournament by finishing second at the FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket in Cairo, falling short only to host nation Egypt. However, their withdrawal from the 2011 competition had lasting developmental consequences—setbacks that Nigerian women’s basketball has only recently begun to overcome.
Mali, like its U18 male counterparts, dominated the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket in nearly every statistical category. They averaged a tournament-best 91.5 points per game—16.5 points more than second-placed Morocco—while shooting 40.5% from the field and dishing out 25.5 assists per game. Mali also led the competition in steals (25.0 per game) and overall team efficiency (120.2 EFFPG), showcasing their well-rounded dominance.
Nigeria, led by two-way standout Idubamo Beggi, impressed throughout the tournament as well, finishing with a 4-2 record and securing the silver medal. Beggi averaged 18.2 points and 4.5 steals per game, helping Nigeria eliminate tournament favorites Egypt in the quarter-finals. The young D’Tigresses ranked in the top five for scoring (70.7 PPG), top three in rebounding (56.8 RPG), and top four in assists (15.8 APG), while also finishing third in steals (22.7 SPG).
However, success comes with even greater challenges. Mali now finds itself in arguably the toughest group of the tournament, where it will compete against reigning FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup champions Australia, FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket champions France, and Brazil, which finished fourth at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup. With such a stacked lineup of teams, Group C is already being labelled the tournament’s “Group of Death.”
Nigeria’s path will also be far from easy. They are set to face Portugal, which placed fifth at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket; Canada, a powerhouse that secured silver at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup; and China, the silver medalist at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup.
Although final rosters have yet to be confirmed, Mali is expected to feature standout forward Oummou Koumare, who averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, alongside high-IQ playmaker Oumou Dabo, who posted a double-double with 12.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
Nigeria, riding the momentum of its senior women’s team—who made history as the first African squad (men’s or women’s) to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games—should have a strong core led by Beggi. She will likely be joined by lockdown two-way player Momoluwa Ayomide Tewogbade, who contributed 9.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 steals per game during the U18 AfroBasket.
As the tournament approaches, Nigeria and Mali will look to prove that African basketball continues to rise globally. The competition will be fierce, but these two teams have the talent, resilience, and hunger to make their mark.
[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]
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