Netball At Glasgow 2026
The world’s top twelve Netball nations are set to go head-to-head next summer at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, in one of the most anticipated events of the Games.
The 23rd edition of the Games will welcome 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories between 23 July and 2 August. With 215 gold medals up for grabs over 10 days and 133 sessions of sport, including more than 50 medal sessions, the city is set to come alive with exhilarating competition and unforgettable moments of sporting drama.
The Netball competition will take place from Saturday 25 July to Sunday 2 August 2026 in the iconic Hydro, promising nine days of incredible sport, 38 matches and an electric atmosphere. Glasgow 2026 will feature the top 12-ranked Netball nations in the world, as determined by the World Netball World Rankings on 1st September 2025, ensuring a high-calibre and fiercely competitive event.
The confirmed nations announced today are (in alphabetical order):
- Australia
- England
- Jamaica
- Malawi
- New Zealand
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- South Africa
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Wales
Netball officially joined the Commonwealth Games programme in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, following its debut as a demonstration sport in Auckland in 1990. Since then, it has become one of the most anticipated team sports at the Games.
The Australian Diamonds — reigning Commonwealth and Netball World Cup champions — return to defend their title after a thrilling 55–51 victory over Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls in the Birmingham 2022 final.
As the most successful nation in Commonwealth Games Netball history, the Diamonds have claimed four gold medals and appeared in seven finals, firmly establishing their dominance on the international stage and as one of the must-see teams in the tournament.
New Zealand’s gold medal win over Australia in 2010 remains one of the most legendary matches in Commonwealth Games history. The final stretched to an extraordinary 84 minutes and was decided in double extra time.
Eight years later, the Gold Coast 2018 final delivered another unforgettable moment, as the England Roses stunned the Netball world by defeating Australia 52–51 with a now-iconic last-second goal.
That dramatic victory not only marked England as the third nation ever to win Commonwealth Netball gold but also inspired a new generation of players and fans across the UK and beyond.
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls have consistently challenged the sport’s traditional powerhouses of Australia and New Zealand, having claimed three bronze medals in Manchester 2002, Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, narrowly missing out on a podium finish in 2006 after losing by just one goal to England in a dramatic 53–52 bronze medal match. Jamaica’s breakthrough came at Birmingham 2022, where they reached the final for the first time and earned a historic silver medal.
Malawi impressed with fifth-place finishes in both Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014, and stunned at Gold Coast 2018 by defeating then-world number two, New Zealand, 57-53. South Africa has been a consistent presence since Netball became an official Games sport in 1998, with their best result coming in the inaugural tournament, where they finished fourth. Uganda, debuting in the Gold Coast in 2018, climbed to a best-ever fifth place at Birmingham 2022 after a memorable win over South Africa in the classification match.
Tonga will make a historic debut at Glasgow 2026, marking a major milestone for the Pacific nation. The Tonga Tala have since surged in the World Netball World Rankings, reaching seventh in the world by 2023 and now sitting ninth. Trinidad and Tobago, known as the Calypso Girls, achieved their best Commonwealth finish with eighth place in 2010 and remain the only team outside Australia and New Zealand to have won a Netball World Cup, sharing the title in 1979.
All four UK home nations — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — are once again set to take to the Commonwealth Games court, continuing the legacy they began at Glasgow 2014, when they made Games history by competing together for the first time. Their collective presence will ensure that the Hydro atmosphere is electric with thousands of fans set to travel to Glasgow from all four corners of the UK.
Scottish Thistles captain, Emily Nicholl, who competed at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022, is looking forward to an incredible competition on home soil “It’s incredibly exciting to have the full line-up of Netball teams confirmed for Glasgow 2026. With 12 world-class squads competing next summer, it promises to be an unforgettable competition at the Hydro.
“The Commonwealth is home to some phenomenal Netball athletes, and having them come to Scotland will be a huge moment for the sport, both here at home and on the global stage. Team Scotland is incredibly excited to be competing alongside the best in the world, and we can’t wait to welcome them all to Glasgow in 2026.”
Australia Diamonds captain Liz Watson is looking forward to Glasgow 2026, saying, “The Commonwealth Games are always really special for us. It’s such a privilege to wear the green and gold, and every Games has its own uniqueness. The feeling of winning gold in 2022 is unforgettable, and we can’t wait to get to Glasgow to continue Australia’s legacy.”
Natalie Cunningham, Director of Sport, Glasgow 2026, said, “To welcome the world’s top Netball nations to Glasgow is a proud moment for the Games and for the sport.
Netball is one of the must-see sports at any Commonwealth Games and has provided so many iconic and incredible sporting moments and memories. The atmosphere at Netball competitions is always second to none, and we are really looking forward to welcoming the world’s best to the Hydro on 25 July next year.”
Ann-Louise Morgan, Director of Sport, Commonwealth Sport, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the 12 best Netball nations in the world to Glasgow 2026. What’s especially exciting is the breadth of representation, from Africa to the Pacific, the Caribbean to Europe. It’s going to be a true celebration of the diversity, energy and unity that make the Commonwealth Games so special.”
Dame Liz Nicholl DBE, World Netball President, said: “The Commonwealth Games is one of the most exciting events in the World Netball international calendar. It is a fantastic opportunity for our top 12 Commonwealth nations to compete alongside other world-class athletes from a variety of sports.
The netball event is always a true spectacle, thanks to the exceptional talent on the court and the incredible fans that fill the arenas and show their support worldwide. I do not doubt that Glasgow 2026 will bring even more unforgettable moments for us all. Congratulations to all the teams that have qualified.”
