Photo credit: Netball Australia via Facebook
Netball Australia and the International Netball Federation have confirmed that Sydney will be the host of the 2027 Netball World Cup, a coup that secures a range of major benefits for the nation’s number one participation sport.
The tournament will see 16 national teams gather in Sydney to battle for the title of World Champion and will also coincide with Australian netball’s centenary celebrations.
It also becomes the ninth World Cup tournament to be awarded to New South Wales in the state’s ambitious ‘10 World Cups in 10 Years’ initiative.
Netball Australia Chair Paolina Hunt announced the successful bid in Sydney yesterday (Monday) and said securing the 2027 World Cup was another critical step in the rapid development of the sport.
“An enormous amount of work went into our bid and it’s thrilling to think that we can now begin to transform our vision into reality.”
A key element of Australia’s bid was a post-tournament legacy that will deliver lasting benefits for women and girls both within netball and the broader community.
“We acknowledge the responsibility of winning an event such as this and will work to ensure that lasting benefits will be enjoyed by communities throughout New South Wales, Australia and the region,’’ Hunt said.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the event would be a major on-going boost to the state.
“We are delighted to be welcoming the world’s best netballers and their supporters and families to NSW for this event in 2027, which will deliver enormous economic and social benefits to our state for years to come,” Berejiklian noted.
International Netball Federation President, Liz Nicholl, said: “Australia put in a strong bid and we are confident they will deliver an excellent event in the city of Sydney, as we have seen Netball Australia do so in the past.
“As our sport continues to grow and evolve at an unprecedented rate around the globe, we look forward to working with the Organising Committee and Netball Australia on netball’s growth and development whilst delivering a thrilling world-class event that will no doubt inspire all and work towards creating a better world through netball.”
The 2023 Netball World Cup will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, with the Australian team also due to compete for honours at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the UK.