Tensions boiled over late into the night as the Africa Netball Cup organisers and team managers clashed behind closed doors, bringing a marathon of discussions to a close on Wednesday, September 23rd at around 11 PM.
At the heart of the standoff was a fierce disagreement over the tournament’s playing format, complicating an event that serves a dual purpose, crowning the continental champion while simultaneously acting as the World Cup qualifiers.
A two-in-one dilemma
Operating as a dual-purpose competition, the tournament merges the fierce regional rivalry of the Africa Cup with the definitive path toward the 2027 Netball World Cup finals. Initially, the structured road map featured a traditional semifinal stage, with prearranged fixtures pitting Uganda against Namibia, and South Africa against Malawi.
However, following intervention and advice from World Netball, the tournament structure underwent a dramatic overhaul. Because Uganda and South Africa clinched the top spots in Pool 2 and Pool 1 respectively, and having already secured their qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup finals based on world rankings, a revision became necessary.
Saturday, September 26th 2026 | Final
- Uganda Vs South Africa – 18:00
World Netball advised that pitting the table toppers against each other in the final would better preserve the integrity of the qualification stakes. Consequently, the remaining contending nations will now battle it out fiercely for the remaining coveted slots to the global showpiece.
Shifts on the court
The adjusted court pairings lock in compelling match-ups for the final stretch.
Friday, September 25th 2026 | Qualification semifinals
- Namibia Vs Kenya – 12:00
- Malawi Vs Zimbabwe – 14:00
Saturday, September 26th 2026 | Playoff Position 3/4 Africa Cup
- Winner QF S/F 1 Vs Winner QF S/F 2 – 14:00
2026 Africa Netball Cup | Men’s Division
In the men’s division, South Africa is set to lock horns with Eswatini on Saturday at 4 PM in the ultimate battle for the crown.
Uganda’s men will play for third place on Friday as they wait for the winner between Kenya and Malawi.
Meanwhile, World Netball also took the opportunity to announce a major structural update for the men’s game moving forward, establishing an official event cycle for a standalone men’s Netball World Cup slated for the 2028-2035 event cycle.