By Llywellenie Mpasa:
Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) has said the Malawi National Netball Team is targeting a finish of not less than seventh place at the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland.
The Malawi Queens departed for England Tuesday, through Bakili Muluzi International Airport in Blantyre, for an intensive-training camp as part of preparations for the global competition.
Nam President Vitumbiko Gubuduza said the tour would give the team an opportunity to test itself against top opposition and identify areas requiring improvement.
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“Our target remains to move into the top seven in the world rankings. We know it will not be easy but, with proper preparations and exposure, we believe the Queens can compete at the highest level,” she said.
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The Queens, who are currently ranked ninth in the world, will use the England camp to gain international exposure through matches against some of the best teams before heading to Glasgow.
“We want the Queens to get quality exposure by playing against strong opposition so that we can identify areas that need improvement before the tournament,” Gubuduza said.
The XXIII Commonwealth Games will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026, attracting about 3,000 athletes from Commonwealth nations and territories competing in 10 sport codes, including netball.
During the tour, the Queens are expected to play a series of international friendly matches against the England men’s team, New Zealand, Northern Ireland and Wales.
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Queens coach Deborah Fuller said the matches would help the team reach the Commonwealth Games in the best possible shape.
“The friendly international matches are being arranged to make sure that, by the time we are starting the Commonwealth Games, the team is ready,” she said.
Fuller said playing against strong opposition would help the technical panel assess progress, improve combinations and address areas that need attention before the tournament.
Queens goal attacker Stella Matelazi said the players were determined to work hard and represent Malawi well at the competition.
“We know the level of competition will be high but these preparations will help us improve and compete well.
We, as a team, are ready to work hard,” said Matelazi. The England camp has been made possible through support from Nico Group, the Queens’ principal sponsor.
Nico Group Corporate Affairs Manager Mbumba Mlia-Ndasauka said the company remained committed to supporting the team’s ambitions.
“The Queens have shown great potential and we believe that supporting their preparations will contribute to the continued success and development of the team,” Mlia-Ndasauka said.
She said the partnership with Nam aimed to strengthen netball development and help Malawi maintain its position among the world’s leading netball nations.
