Netball South Africa president Mami Diale says she is pleased with the organisation’s progress in 2026, a year marked by international competition, domestic tournaments and continued investment in player and coaching development.

From the SPAR Netball Proteas’ victory over England during the SPAR Challenge to the progress of the men’s national team, the SPAR Netball Warriors, the organisation has had a busy year on and off the court.

Speaking to EWN Sport, Diale reflected on the highlights of the year and outlined Netball South Africa’s preparations for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

“We started 2026 at home when we won England during the SPAR Challenge. It was a massive win for us. It gave us excitement, and we were so happy that we started the year on a positive note,” said Diale.

Netball South Africa also hosted several major domestic competitions, including the Telkom Netball League, the junior championships featuring under-18 and under-19 players, the SPAR Championship for under-21 and senior players, as well as the national men’s championships.

Internationally, South Africa’s national teams travelled to Kenya, with the SPAR Proteas finishing second in Africa, while the men’s Protea Warriors continued to demonstrate their strength on the continent.

“Our Protea Warriors are the kings of Africa, and our SPAR Proteas are second in Africa. But we are saying Africa, we are coming back,” she said.

With the 2027 Netball World Cup approaching, Diale said preparations had already begun, with the senior team gaining valuable international experience through tours to England, New Zealand and Australia in 2025.

The preparations will continue with a planned SPAR Challenge in January 2027, followed by a test series in England in February.

“We have made an agreement with England that is sealed, that we will have an exchange of programmes with them. They will come to South Africa, and we will go to them,” Diale explained.

She also highlighted plans for the inaugural Male Superpower Week, which will provide a platform for men’s netball teams from South Africa and abroad. The tournament is expected to feature the Protea Warriors, the USA national team, Correctional Services, SAPS, SANDF and invited teams from Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswatini.

On the commercial front, Diale expressed gratitude to longstanding sponsors SPAR, Telkom and Hollywoodbets, while welcoming Aquelle’s involvement and highlighting ongoing efforts to attract additional corporate partners.

“SPAR has been good. Thank you, SPAR, very much for the girls. They have committed over and over, and they overcommit as well. They are able to support the girls outside the contract that we signed, and we are so grateful for that,” she said.

Diale added that Netball South Africa was exploring opportunities to develop its different products, including men’s netball and umpiring, to create further sponsorship opportunities.

At grassroots level, the organisation is investing in coach education to address disparities between provinces and ensure that talent is developed throughout the country.

Approximately 20 leading coaches have been selected for a Coach Educator Programme, which will see them train other coaches across the provinces.

“We are looking for talent all over the provinces,” Diale said, emphasising the importance of strengthening coaching structures beyond university-based systems.

Among the coaches involved are national coach Jennifer van Dyk, assistant coach Zanela Mdodane and leading franchise coaches.

“A player cannot play proper netball without a better coach. That is why we took that direction of making sure that we introduced that programme,” she said.

With schools, community clubs, universities and government-sector structures contributing to the sport’s development, Netball South Africa is looking to build a stronger pipeline of players ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Diale believes the momentum generated by the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town placed South African netball on the map, and the organisation is determined to build on that legacy through international exposure, grassroots development and stronger corporate partnerships.

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