Plans for Netball World Cup every two years

BBC News

3 hours ago

World Netball has announced plans for the World Cup to take place every two years as they look to "future-proof" uncertainty around the Commonwealth Games.Netball has been an official Commonwealth Games sport since 1998 and has relied on the event to showcase the sport to a wider audience.The World Cup traditionally takes place on a four-year cycle with the next tournament set to be hosted in Australia in 2027.The long-term future of the Commonwealth Games is unclear after difficulties finding a host nation for the 2026 edition due to rising costs.World Netball also plans to introduce a men's World Cup competition."We need to be proactive about future-proofing ourselves given the uncertainty around the Commonwealth Games post 2026," World Netball CEO Fiona Harold said on the decision to switch the World Cup to a biennial event."These decisions allow us to control our destiny and it's positive news for everyone."As the International Federation, it is our job to sustain and grow the game over the long term."The governing body says all future World Cups will take place in November to allow for consistency and avoid disruption to domestic leagues.They are also launching a new biennial event from November 2028 that will take place in non-World Cup years.Australia won the bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria but pulled out in July 2023 due to budget blowouts.Just a month later, the government of Alberta pulled its support for a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, citing rising costs.Glasgow has agreed to step in as host for next year's event but only after getting assurances they could run a scaled-down version, with 10 sports set to take place across four venues in the city."International netball has never been more competitive but the landscape is becoming increasingly complex to navigate," Harold added."World Netball needs to support its members and deliver solutions that mean everyone in the ecosystem benefits."Australia beat England in the final of the 2023 World Cup to claim a record-extending 12th title.
The governing body says men's netball is "gaining momentum rapidly" and intends to support that growth by introducing a World Cup.England men played their first international match in October 2022, having been formed just seven months earlier.Australia, a dominant force in both men's and women's netball, has been running a men's and mixed netball championship for more than 40 years.New Zealand, the Caribbean and Americas regions all field men's national teams and clubs continue to emerge across Africa."The resounding feedback from many stakeholders across the game is that this is a really positive step, especially as we continue to strive and build our case for Olympic Games inclusion," Harold said."I have enjoyed engaging with men's netball groups over the past few months and we will continue to collaborate with them to help them realise their dream of seeing an inaugural men's Netball World Cup happen in the next few years."