Nigeria are stepping up their preparations for the African qualifying tournament for the 2027 Netball World Cup, with head coach Alison Akinrinsola overseeing a training camp in London.
Nigeria build towards Nairobi qualifier
- The Nigeria Netball Federation is assembling a squad capable of claiming one of the continent’s two qualification berths when the African tournament is staged in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 19 to 26, 2026.
- Matches will be played at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, where Nigeria are set to join nine other African nations in the battle for World Cup places.
- Federation president Dr Oluwatoyin Aluko said steps were being taken to ensure the team arrives at the continental event fully prepared.
- The squad has already received valuable international experience, playing warm-up games against Jamaica, Pakistan and Scotland before last month’s 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- Those fixtures allowed Nigeria to measure themselves against higher-ranked opposition and adapt to a variety of playing approaches ahead of the Nairobi campaign.
- The London camp is concentrating on developing understanding between players, while also addressing their physical condition, tactical skills and mental readiness.
Development work across Nigeria
Aluko also highlighted the need to strengthen the technical base of netball throughout the country.
“A great deal of work is going into providing better support for coaches and umpires,” Aluko said.
The federation has already delivered coaching and officiating clinics in the South-South and South-East zones. A South-West session is planned for the last week of August, followed by the Northern Zone programme during the first week of September.
The initiative is designed to raise coaching quality, improve officiating and establish a stronger route for player development nationwide.
African qualification race
Nigeria’s opponents in Nairobi are expected to include South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania.
South Africa and Uganda have already earned places at the 2027 World Cup via World Netball’s ranking system. The other African contenders will therefore compete in Nairobi for the remaining qualification slots.
The 2027 Netball World Cup is scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia, from August 25 to September 5, 2027.
