The Silver Ferns — Netball Champions

The Silver Ferns are New Zealand's national netball team and one of the most successful in the sport's history: five-time Netball World Cup champions, most recently at Liverpool in 2019, and multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallists. The rivalry with Australia's Diamonds is one of the greatest in trans-Tasman sport. Dame Noeline Taurua, the coach behind the 2019 World Cup triumph, remains at the helm after being reinstated as head coach following negotiations in late 2025.

Participation — the Numbers Behind the Sport

Netball is New Zealand's most popular women's sport by a wide margin. Netball New Zealand reports more than 140,000 registered members and over 300,000 participants each year, delivered through five zones and 83 netball centres nationwide. It is the sport of first choice for a huge share of Kiwi girls, and men's and mixed netball continues to grow. The 2023 World Cup was a rare low — the Ferns finished fourth, their worst ever result — which makes the build to 2027 all the more significant.

ANZ Premiership — Domestic Netball

The ANZ Premiership is New Zealand's elite domestic netball competition, featuring six teams:

Northern Mystics (Auckland)
Northern Stars (Auckland/North Harbour)
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Central Pulse (Wellington/Manawatū)
Mainland Tactix (Christchurch)
Southern Steel (Dunedin/Invercargill)

The season runs through autumn and into early winter, with the Grand Final in late June. The Mystics won the 2026 title — a record fourth — beating the Steel 56–46 in the Grand Final on 27 June, after the Steel reached their first final in eight years. The Tactix won their first title in 2025.

International Netball in 2026–27

Commonwealth Games (Glasgow): 23 July–2 August 2026 — netball runs 25 July–2 August at the OVO Hydro, with 12 nations; the Silver Ferns are in Pool B alongside Australia, Scotland and Tonga, opening against Scotland
Constellation Cup: Annual series against Australia
Taini Jamison Trophy: Series against England
Netball World Cup 2027: Sydney, 25 August–5 September 2027 — 16 nations, 12 days, and the Ferns' shot at a sixth title

Key Silver Ferns Players

Grace Nweke — dominant goal shoot and the most potent attacking weapon in world netball
Kelly Jury — captain and defensive anchor at goal defence
Jane Watson — versatile defensive workhorse
Maddy Gordon — midcourt general in centre

Betting on NZ Netball

Netball betting is growing in popularity via TAB NZ and international bookmakers. Popular markets include match winner, total goals over/under, and quarter-by-quarter betting. The Silver Ferns are typically strong favourites at home against all but Australia. Netball scores are lower than they look — quarters are 15 minutes and goals are worth one point each — so totals markets (often in the 110–140 range for top internationals) need a different mindset than rugby or league totals.

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How Netball Works — the Mechanics

Netball is a 15-minute-quarters game with no contact, no dribbling and no running with the ball: each goal is worth one point, and possession alternates after every goal via the centre pass. That is why scores sit in the 50–70 range per team at international level and why "totals" betting on netball (typically 110–140 combined for top sides) behaves more like basketball totals than rugby totals. The defensive end of the court — goal defence and goal keeper — dictates pace, so check team lists for defensive injuries before touching a totals market.

The Pathway from Club to Ferns

The pathway runs from 83 local netball centres through five zones to the ANZ Premiership's six franchises and into the Silver Ferns. The Mystics' 2026 title — a record fourth — was built on exactly that pathway, with Grace Nweke the headline graduate. For parents, netball is the most accessible high-performance sport in the country: participation costs are low relative to rugby or cricket, and the pathway is well signposted at every centre.

Glasgow 2026 and Beyond

At the Commonwealth Games (23 July–2 August), netball runs 25 July–2 August at the OVO Hydro with 12 nations in two pools; the Silver Ferns sit in Pool B with Australia, Scotland and Tonga. Then comes the Netball World Cup in Sydney (25 August–5 September 2027) — 16 nations, 12 days, and the Ferns' shot at a sixth world title.