In a historic moment for netball enthusiasts worldwide, the Netball World Cup is set to take place in Africa for the very first time. The tournament is scheduled to be held from July to August 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa.
Breaking new ground in the realm of sports broadcasting, the event will be documented and produced by an exclusively female crew from SuperSport, a prominent South African broadcasting company.
The tournament will be graced by the participation of 16 teams, with a notable representation from Africa, including South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. While no African nation has clinched the Netball World Cup title to date, there have been promising signs of progress in recent years. In 2022, Uganda garnered global attention by defeating the reigning champions and world number one team, Australia, at the Fast 5 Netball World Series. Additionally, at the 2015 Netball World Cup, Malawi’s star player, Mwai Kumwenda, emerged as the top scorer of the competition, amassing an impressive total of 321 goals.
As of November 2022, the world netball rankings featured 20 national netball teams. South Africa, Malawi, and Uganda secured the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions, respectively, while Zimbabwe and Zambia held the 13th and 17th spots.
Beyond the African teams, there are other formidable contenders to watch out for in the tournament, such as the 4th-ranked Jamaica and the 11th-ranked Trinidad and Tobago. The Netball World Cup 2023 promises to be a landmark event that not only celebrates the sport but also fosters gender inclusivity and showcases the rising prowess of African netball teams on the global stage.
Source Pictures: The South African
Source Videos: SABC News