Netball Australia will host the inaugural PacificAus Sports Netball Series in Sydney this month, further strengthening international netball relationships.
The series aims to provide high-level competition for the national teams of Netball Australia’s PacificAus Sports partners – Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
Under the PacificAus Sports program and funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Series will run from Monday 21 to Saturday 26 March at Sydney Olympic Park.
Also participating in the Series is invitee Singapore, as Netball Australia continues to support the Asian Netball region in the lead-up to the 2027 Netball World Cup.
It will mark the first time the teams have competed internationally since the COVID-19 pandemic began and offers an opportunity to test their strategies ahead of the Oceania Netball World Cup Qualifiers in Fiji in July.
Netball Australia Executive General Manager Strategy, Government and Community Glenn Turnor said this event highlights the importance of international relationships with Netball Australia's Pacific partner countries and beyond.
“Netball Australia is a global leader in growing the game of Netball and we can’t wait to showcase the talents and success stories of female athletes, coaches, and leaders from the Pacific,” Turnor said.
“The Singapore National team, while on their Australian tour, will be a welcome addition to the Series.
“Australia, Singapore and the Pacific have long-lasting friendships and connections through netball. The opportunity to include Singapore will only help revitalise Netball in the Asia-Pacific region and provide a platform for all teams to develop and grow leading into the 2027 World Cup.”
The PacificAus Sports Netball Series is proudly supported by the Australian Government through the PacificAus Sports program.
The Series’ theme of One Court, One Family will highlight the objectives behind the PacificAus Sports program, including:
- Developing pathways for Pacific teams to play in high-level Australian sporting competitions,
- Supporting Australian teams to increase their presence and participation in the Pacific, and
- Creating pathways for emerging Pacific athletes to benefit from high-performance coaching and training.
Netball Samoa CEO Rosemarie Esera said the PacificAus Sports Netball Series is an opportunity to showcase her national players and evaluate Samoa’s in-country program.
“Just being able to get our team on the court will be a huge achievement,” Esera said.
“Bringing our regions together through netball will allow us to assess where we are, what needs to be worked on, and provides the opportunity of being part of an international fixture.”
The event is free for spectators and will be available to stream live. Further details on streaming to come soon.
