Aluko: We’re Building a Team for History As Nigeria Ramps Up Netball World Cup Preparations
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria’s national netball team has stepped up preparations for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 African Qualifier, with players currently training in London under head coach Alison Akinrinsola. The Nigeria Netball Federation is working to assemble a squad capable of securing a historic place at the global tournament.
Federation President Dr Oluwatoyin Aluko said the organisation is leaving nothing to chance ahead of the continental showdown in Nairobi, Kenya. The African qualifier will run from 19 to 26 September 2026 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, where 10 nations will compete for the two remaining World Cup berths.
The Nigerian squad has already gained valuable international experience, contesting friendly matches against Jamaica, Pakistan and Scotland before last month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Those games allowed the players to test themselves against varied styles and higher levels of competition.
Attention has now turned to refining combinations and ensuring the team is physically, technically and mentally ready under Akinrinsola’s guidance in London.
Aluko framed the current campaign as part of a longer-term effort to reposition Nigerian netball so the country competes for honours rather than merely making up the numbers at major events.
“We are putting in a lot of effort to equip the coaches and umpires,” she said, underscoring the Federation’s focus on strengthening the sport’s technical base nationwide.
Coaching and umpiring clinics have already been completed in the South-South and South-East zones. The South-West clinic is scheduled for the final week of August, with the Northern Zone programme set for the first week of September. The initiative aims to raise coaching standards, improve officiating and create clearer development pathways for players.
Nigeria will face a tough field in Nairobi that includes South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania. South Africa and Uganda have already qualified for the 2027 World Cup through the World Netball rankings, heightening the stakes for the remaining contenders.
The top eligible teams from the African qualifier will earn invitations to the Netball World Cup in Sydney, scheduled for 25 August to 5 September 2027.
