Netball’s roots trace back to late‑Victorian England, where Martina Bergman Osterberg pioneered a physically‑perfect training model for women that birthed the sport. The game grew from school halls to professional arenas, with Suncorp Super Netball offering six‑figure salaries and the UK’s Netball Super League moving toward full professionalism over a ten‑year plan.

England’s gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games andScreen 2023 World Cup runner‑up status sparked a 45% jump in attendance, while netball’s global player base now stands at 13 million worldwide, with three‑million in England alone. The sport remains a women‑led ecosystem, a point stressed by World Netball president Dame Liz Nicholl.

The Commonwealth Games serve as a crucial platform, but netball is also pushing for inclusion in the 2032 Olympics. With a strong governance track record and growing global reach, advocates argue that Olympic status would secure the sport’s future and expand its reach beyond the Commonwealth.