NAIROBI, KENYA – In yet another dramatic 11th-hour administrative U-turn by tournament organizers, the 2026 Africa Netball Cup schedule was reverted to its original format, forcing both South Africa and Uganda to abandon their rest day and take the court for sudden semifinals. Despite the off-court confusion, the SPAR Proteas maintained their composure on the court, defeating a fired-up Malawi side 62-49 to officially seal their place in Saturday’s championship match.
Malawi Applies Early Pressure
Having been told they would skip the semifinals to preserve the integrity of the World Cup qualifiers, the South African camp had to quickly pivot their preparation when the decision was reversed. Malawi took full advantage of the chaotic build-up, coming out guns blazing in a highly physical first quarter.
The opening 15 minutes played out exactly like a high-stakes knockout match should, with relentless pressure from both sides leaving the scoreboard deadlocked at 14-14 at the first break.
However, the SPAR Proteas soon demonstrated exactly why they are the continent’s top-ranked side. In the second quarter, the South African defensive unit began forcing critical turnovers. The clinical conversion of these opportunities allowed South Africa to establish a crucial five-goal buffer, heading into halftime with a 30-25 lead.
Breaking Away to Secure the Final
South Africa maintained the squeeze in the third quarter. The relentless defensive pressure and disciplined attacking movement steadily wore down the Malawian resistance, expanding the Proteas’ advantage to 10 goals (44-34) going into the final period.
With their finals ticket in sight, Coach Jenny van Dyk’s side kept their foot firmly on the gas in the fourth quarter. South Africa dominated the final 15 minutes to comfortably close out the contest 62-49, securing another quarter win and officially punching their ticket to the final.
In the other reinstated semifinal, Uganda also took care of business, overcoming Namibia 51-41. The results set up a mouthwatering climax between Africa’s top two ranked nations.
Coach Van Dyk Praises African Netball Standards
Despite the fixture disruptions, Head Coach Jenny van Dyk welcomed the tough test against their fierce regional rivals. In her post-match interview, she acknowledged the intense pressure Malawi applied in the opening halves.
Van Dyk expressed her satisfaction that the team actually got to play the semifinal against a high-calibre opponent, emphasizing the value of competing against both Malawi and Uganda in the same tournament. She added that the fierce competitiveness and high quality of netball currently being played across the continent strongly justifies the allocation of more World
Championship Saturday: The Double Finals
South Africa is now on the brink of a double continental triumph, with both the men’s and women’s teams competing for gold on Saturday. Fans can stream both matches LIVE and FREE on DiscoverSport.com.
- 13:00 (SA Time): Men’s Final – Protea Warriors vs Eswatini
- 15:00 (SA Time): Women’s Final – SPAR Proteas vs Uganda
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