Welcome to the Netball World Cup 2023 Team Previews. Get ready for the Netball World Cup 2023 (NWC2023) as 16 exciting teams compete! South Africa secured an automatic spot as hosts, while five teams received invitations based on their World Netball World Ranking as of August 12, 2022. The remaining 10 teams earned their invites by finishing in the top two among the unqualified teams during their regional NWC2023 Qualifiers.
Now, let’s dive into everything you need about these 16 teams. From their nicknames and current World Netball World Ranking as of June 30, 2023, to their past Netball World Cup history and their journey on the Road to Cape Town so far!
SOUTH AFRICA (HOSTS)
Nickname: SPAR Proteas
Current World Ranking: 5th
Netball South Africa is hosting the Netball World Cup for the first time in their history this year; it is also the first on the continent of Africa. At the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, South Africa finished 4th. This year’s hosts have finished in the top three at two Netball World Cups, once at Perth 1967 when they finished 3rd, while their highest finish came at Birmingham 1995 when they finished 2nd place.
Road to Cape Town: Netball South Africa qualified automatically for the Netball World Cup 2023 as the hosts, but they would’ve also qualified due to their 5th placed ranking position as of the 12th of August 2022 had they not been hosts
AUSTRALIA
Nickname: Diamonds
Current World Ranking: 1st
Since the Netball World Cup began in 1963 (then known as the World Tournament), World Netball World Ranked number 1, Australia has won 11 world titles and finished 2nd four times. The Diamond’s most recent 1st place finish came at Sydney in 2015, but in 2019 they missed out on 1st place after losing by one to New Zealand 52 – 51 in the dying seconds of the Final.
Road to Cape Town: Australia qualified automatically for the Netball World Cup 2023 due to being ranked 1st in the world as of the 12th of August 2022.
BARBADOS
Nickname: Bajan Gems
Current World Ranking: 14th
Barbados first participated in the Netball World Cup (then known as the World Tournament) in the Port of Spain 1979 in Trinidad, where they finished in 8th place. Since then, their highest finish came at Glasgow 1987 World Tournament, where they finished in equal 6th place. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, Barbados finished 12th place.
Road to Cape Town: Barbados qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Americas (NWCQ- Americas). The Bajan Gems finished in 3rd place, which was enough to qualify due to 1st place Jamaica having already pre-qualified due to their WN World Ranking as of the 12th of August 2022.
ENGLAND
Nickname: Roses
Current World Ranking: 3rd
England hosted the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, where they finished 3rd in front of their home fans. This was the Roses 6th third place Netball World Cup finish, while they have also finished 2nd once at the Auckland 1975 Netball World Cup (then known as the World Tournament).
Road to Cape Town: England qualified automatically for the Netball World Cup 2023 due to being ranked 4th as of the 12th August 2022.
FIJI
Nickname: Pearls
Current World Ranking: 19th
Fiji has competed at nine Netball World Cups, with their best finish coming at the Christchurch 1999 World Championships, when they finished in 6th place. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Fiji Pearls finished 14th place.
Road to Cape Town: Fiji finished 2nd at the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Oceania (NWCQ – Oceania) to qualify for the Netball World Cup 2023. The hosts of the NWCQ Oceania beat the Cook Islands 34-51 in their final match of the qualifiers to ensure they booked their place in Cape Town.
JAMAICA
Nickname: Sunshine Girls
Current World Ranking: 4th
Jamaica’s highest finish in a Netball World Cup is 3rd place, which they have achieved on as many occasions; Sydney 1991, Kingston 2003, and Auckland 2007. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Sunshine Girls finished 5th place.
Road to Cape Town: Jamaica qualified automatically for the Netball World Cup 2023 due to their 3rd place World Netball World Ranking position as of the 12th of August 2023.
MALAWI
Nickname: Queens
Current World Ranking: 6th
Malawi has played at six Netball World Cups; their highest place finish is at the Auckland 2007 World Championships, where they finished in 5th place. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Malawi Queens finished 6th place.
Road to Cape Town: Malawi qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Africa, where they only lost to pre-qualified hosts Netball South Africa.
NEW ZEALAND
Nickname: Silver Ferns
Current World Ranking: 2nd
New Zealand has won the Netball World Cup five times and is currently the reigning world champion after winning gold at the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, when they beat Australia in the Final by one goal.
Road to Cape Town: Netball New Zealand automatically qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 due to their 2nd place World Netball World Ranking as of the 12th of August 2022.
SCOTLAND
Nickname: Thistles
Current World Ranking: 10th
Scotland competed in every Netball World Cup, except in 2011, when they did not qualify. Their highest finish is 6th place, which they achieved for the first time at the Kingston 1971 World Tournament, then again at Auckland 1975 and Singapore 1983 World Tournaments. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Scottish Thistles finished in 11th place.
Road to Cape Town: The Scottish Thistles hosted the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Europe, where they qualified in 2nd place, losing only to Wales on the last day of competition in Glasgow.
SINGAPORE
Current World Ranking: 28th
Singapore has competed at seven Netball World Cup’s, with their first appearance coming at the Perth 1967 World Tournament, where they finished 8th, their highest finish to date. At the most recent Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, Singapore finished 16th.
Road to Cape Town: Singapore qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Asia (NWCQ-Asia) hosted in their country. The NWCQ-Asia hosts qualified in 2nd place after losing only to Sri Lanka.
SRI LANKA
Nickname: The Lionesses
Current World Ranking: 15th
To date, Sri Lanka’s best Netball World Cup came at the Eastbourne 1963 World Tournament, where they finished in 9th place, playing as Ceylon. The Lionesses finished 15th at the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019.
Road to Cape Town: Sri Lanka qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 after they finished the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Asia unbeaten.
TONGA
Nickname: Tonga Tala
Current World Ranking: 7th
Tonga has only previously been involved in one Netball World Cup, and this was Christchurch 1999 (then known as the World Championships), and Tonga finished 22nd.
Road to Cape Town: Tonga finished the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Oceania unbeaten to qualify for the Netball World Cup 2023
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Nickname: Calypso Girls
Current World Ranking: 11th
Trinidad & Tobago competed in the first Netball World Cup, Eastbourne 1963 (then known as the World Tournament), where they finished in 4th place. Most famously, they are also the only other team, outside of Australia and New Zealand, to win a Netball World Cup, as they finished joint winners with Australia and New Zealand at Port of Spain 1979 World Tournament. At the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Calypso Girls finished 9th place.
Road to Cape Town: Trinidad & Tobago qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Americas, where the only team they lost to throughout the competition was pre-qualified Jamaica.
UGANDA
Nickname: She Cranes
Current World Ranking: 8th
Uganda has played in three Netball World Cups: Port of Spain 1979, Sydney 2015, and Liverpool 2019. The She Cranes highest-ever finish came at the last Netball World Cup (Liverpool 2019), where they finished in 7th place.
Road to Cape Town: Due to 5th place World Netball World Ranked South Africa qualifying automatically for the Netball World Cup 2023 as hosts, Uganda became the final team to qualify automatically due to their 6th place World Netball World Ranking as of the 12th August 2022.
WALES
Nickname: Feathers
Current World Ranking: 9th
Wales competed in the first ever Netball World Cup (known as the World Tournament), Eastbourne 1963, where they finished in 10th place. Their highest Netball World Cup finish to date is equal to 6th, which they have reached twice, once at the Auckland 1975 World Tournament and once at Port of Spain 1979 World Tournament. Wales did not qualify for the latest Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019.
Road to Cape Town: Wales qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 after finishing the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Europe unbeaten, in 1st place.
ZIMBABWE
Nickname: The Gems
Current World Ranking: 13th
Zimbabwe has competed in the Netball World Cup once, the most recent edition in 2019. At the last Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, the Gems finished in 8th place.
Road to Cape Town: Zimbabwe qualified for the Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Africa, where they finished in 3rd place thanks to beating Zambia 59-41 on the final day of competition. 3rd place was enough to qualify because Netball South Africa, who finished 1st, had already pre-qualified as the hosts for the Netball World Cup 2023.
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