Changes coming for 2027 World Cup
World Netball announced the 2027 World Cup, to be held in Sydney from August 25 to September 5, will introduce both cup and plate competitions.
What that means or how the landscape of the competition will look is yet to be determined.
The World Cup will also be played at one venue to give all teams equal opportunities, and the tournament will be extended and played across 12 days to allow players additional recovery time.
World Netball chief executive Fiona Harold said the governing body was reviewing all of its systems to make "bold decisions to sustain the game in the immediate term and have a material impact on growth in the long term".
"This is a first step in making change as we look to maximise our pinnacle event," Harold said.
"It's crucial that we adapt and evolve our products in today's challenging and competitive commercial market, whilst at the same time protecting our athletes and their welfare in what is an increasingly demanding annual schedule."
Qualification for the World Cup will remain the same.
The top five teams in the world at December 1 this year — and hosts Australia — will be confirmed.
Five regional qualifiers will be held from January to September next year to determine the other 10 teams.
The top two teams from each qualifying event will be included.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
a minute ago
- NZ Herald
South Africa v Australia live updates: Springboks host Wallabies in Rugby Championship opener
Advertise with NZME. Live updates of the Rugby Championship opener between the Springboks and Wallabies. South Africa captain Siya Kolisi will start at No 8 for the first time in a test when the Springboks begin their Rugby Championship defence in Johannesburg on Saturday against Australia. The 34-year-old double Rugby World Cup winner, who will make his 94th test appearance, is usually to be found on the flank but has operated in the position for his franchise, the Durban-based Sharks. He will do it for the first time for the Boks largely because the other leading contenders are all unavailable. Regular No 8 Jasper Wiese is serving a four-match ban after head-butting a rival in a warm-up victory over Italy last month. Other options Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom suffered serious pre-Springbok season injuries and are unlikely to be available this year. Moving Kolisi means flanker Marco van Staden comes into the starting lineup with reigning World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit completing the back row. Manie Libbok gets the nod at first five-eighths before Handre Pollard and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with head coach Rassie Erasmus well aware of the record of the Japan-based playmaker. The Springboks have lost only one of 13 tests when Libbok has started – the pool defeat by Ireland at the 2023 World Cup in France. But when the 28-year-old came off the bench in seven internationals, record four-time World Cup winners South Africa lost four. Creative Libbok is capable of opening the tightest defences, but doubts remain over his goal kicking, a skill perfected by Pollard. Grant Williams has moved to the front of the queue for the hotly contested halfback position and starts with veteran Cobus Reinach providing cover on the bench. Erasmus has opted not to risk star wing Cheslin Kolbe or veteran centre Damian de Allende as both are recovering from niggles. Edwill van der Merwe, who has scored five tries in three tests, replaces Kolbe on the right wing while Andre Esterhuizen fills in for De Allende at second five-eighths. 'Cheslin has recovered from a niggle and trained with us last week, but we decided to exercise caution and give him extra time at training before selecting him,' said Erasmus. 'Damian picked up a back niggle and will train this week, but Andre has been strong for us in the last few seasons, so it was an easy decision to name him alongside Jesse [Kriel].' Australia flew to Johannesburg after a 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions. The Wallabies want to snap a four-match losing streak against South Africa and will name their team on Thursday. 15 Aphelele Fassi; 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams; 8 Siya Kolisi (capt), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Commitment to the cause
Menzies College deputy principal and Phoenix Orange Hockey player Dean Ritani gives back to his sport coaching hockey. PHOTO: NINA TAPU Giving back to the sport he loves is keeping a Southland educator on the hockey field. When Menzies College deputy principal Dean Ritani is not playing hockey for his beloved Phoenix Orange Hockey Club, he coaches children to play the sport, which he says has brought him a lifetime of joy. Passing on his hockey playing knowledge to Southland students is his way of returning the fulfillment hockey has given him for over 20 years. Mr Ritani said teaching linked in nicely with coaching, because he was able to upskill people and got enjoyment out of seeing students improve. "There were a lot of crossovers here; you needed dedication and commitment for both," he said. "I wanted to pass on my knowledge . . .and thought that if I could give back a little bit . . . then I would." This year he has marked two decades that the 44-year-old has played for the Phoenix Orange hockey team. He said it was his passion and enjoyment of the game that had kept him involved in the sport for so long. "If you're passionate about something, you enjoy it, you're going to give your time and energy to it, and that is what I had found with hockey," he said. The hockey stalwart had lost count of the hundreds of games he had played in Southland since moving from Christchurch to Invercargill in 2005. A teaching job at Aurora College gave him the chance to keep playing his favourite sport around his teaching work, while coaching school teams on the side. He caught the bug for the game as a 12-year-old in Christchurch. A stint in the under-21 New Zealand hockey team as an 18-yearold took him to a World Cup tournament in Australia in 2001. If his "old sore legs" had not have given him trouble in 2017, he said he would still be doing the nationals circuit. In his younger years he had played in the midfield. He now plays in the back, letting his voice "move the young fellas around the field". Despite having to keep up with playing against opponents half his age, his passion for the game had not waned. He was motivated to see the next generation get the same satisfaction from the sport that he had gained. Coaching his daughter's under-15 squad this year and supporting his son play hockey has spurred him to keep giving his time to the sport. He hoped playing in the premier team final this week would give his side a chance at winning the title five years in a row.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Sports News for 14 August 2025
The All Whites will play another top 40 side in the lead up to next year's football World Cup in North America. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
