Netball World Cup goes biennial amid Commonwealth Games ‘uncertainty’

As they attempt to “future-proof” the Commonwealth Games’ uncertainty, World Netball has announced plans for the World Cup to take place every two years.

Netball has relied on the Commonwealth Games to present the sport to a wider audience since 1998 as an official sport since 1998.

The next World Cup event is scheduled to take place in Australia in 2027, following a four-year cycle.

Due to cost increases, it is unclear how the Commonwealth Games’ long-term future will develop.

A men’s World Cup competition will also be introduced by World Netball.

Given the uncertainty surrounding the Commonwealth Games after 2026, World Netball CEO Fiona Harold remarked on the decision to make the World Cup a biennial event. “We need to be proactive about future-proofing ourselves.”

“These choices give us more control over our destiny,” says the president, “and that’s good news for everyone.”

It is our responsibility as the International Federation to maintain and advance the game over the long term.

The governing body states that all upcoming World Cups will take place in November to ensure consistency and prevent divisional rivalries from deteriorating.

A new biennial event that won’t take place in non-World Cup years will be introduced from November 2028.

Australia submitted an application to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, but it withdrawn due to budget constraints in July 2023.

Due to rising costs, the government of Alberta withdrawn support for a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games just one month later.

Glasgow has agreed to host the next year’s event, but only after being assured that a smaller version will be available with 10 sports scheduled to take place at four different city locations.

The environment is becoming more challenging, according to Harold, “but international netball has never been more competitive.”

World Netball must support its members and provide solutions that ensure the ecosystem’s benefit for all.

Men’s netball is “gaining momentum” quickly, according to the governing body, and plans to introduce a World Cup to help that growth.

After only seven months, the formation of England’s first international team came to an end in October 2022.

Australia has been organizing a men’s and mixed netball championship for more than 40 years and is a dominant force in both men’s and women’s netball.

Men’s national teams and clubs are still active in all of Africa’s regions of New Zealand, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

This is a really positive step, especially as we continue to work hard and make our case for inclusion at the Olympic Games, according to Harold, who received overwhelmingly positive feedback from many stakeholders in the game.