The race for the 2026 Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League title enters its decisive stage as eight teams battle for national honours in Lagos.
The Final 8 tournament is taking place from September 28 to October 3 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, with Nigeria Customs, AS Sky Queens, Titans, Air Warriors, MFM, First Bank, Victoria Queens and Bayelsa Blue Whales securing places in the championship showdown.
The teams booked their spots after tough campaigns in the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences, setting up what promises to be a fiercely contested battle for the league crown.
But this year’s competition comes with an unusual twist.
Defending champions Dolphins Basketball Club will not be in Lagos for the title defence after failing to finish among the top four teams in the Atlantic Conference.
Their absence means a new champion will be crowned.
First Bank, last year’s runners-up and the most successful club in the history of the competition, will be among the teams hoping to seize the opportunity.
The Lagos-based side has won the league nine times and will be banking on its experience as the battle for the trophy intensifies.
MFM also arrives with a strong championship pedigree, having won consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024.
With First Bank and MFM both in the Final 8, the tournament brings together teams with a mix of experience, ambition and proven pedigree.
The competition has also remained an important platform for the development of female basketball in Nigeria, producing players who have gone on to represent the country at the international level, including with D’Tigress.
Zenith Bank has sponsored the National Women’s Basketball League since 2005 in partnership with the Nigeria Basketball Federation.
The sponsorship has helped sustain the domestic competition and provide a platform for female players to develop their skills and compete at the highest level in the country.
As the eight teams converge on Lagos, attention now shifts to the court.
Eight teams.
One trophy.
One new champion.
The question is: who will seize the crown?
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