NETBALL WORLD RANKING: EXPLORING THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF NETBALL RANKINGS.
Netball is not just a sport; it’s a way of life that unites players and fans from around the globe. Today, we’ll be exploring the netball world ranking and probing into the fascinating dynamics that define the current landscape of this beloved sport.
We’ll navigate through the depths of the netball ranking system, uncovering the top-ranked teams and their remarkable journeys to the summit. We’ll also explore the nuances of how rankings are calculated, revealing the intricacies that make up the netball world ranking.
READ ALSO: NETBALL WORLD CUP WINNERS 1963-2019
So, if you’ve ever wondered which countries sit atop the netball ranking hierarchy, or if you’re curious how your favourite team has fared in recent years, this is the place to be.
TOP 20 NETBALL WORLD RANKING TEAMS: [Based on matches up to 6th August 2023]
| RANKING | TEAM | PLAYED | WEIGHTED | POINTS | RATING |
| 1 | Australia | 46 | 36 | 7,455 | 207 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 54 | 41 | 7,739 | 189 |
| 3 | England | 56 | 42 | 7,715 | 184 |
| 4 | Jamaica | 52 | 43 | 7,837 | 182 |
| 5 | South Africa | 73 | 51 | 7,819 | 153 |
| 6 | Malawi | 64 | 48 | 6,173 | 129 |
| 7 | Uganda | 57 | 41 | 5,094 | 124 |
| 8 | Tonga | 29 | 28 | 3,433 | 123 |
| 9 | Wales | 37 | 30 | 3,521 | 117 |
| 10 | Scotland | 30 | 26 | 2,751 | 106 |
| 11 | Trinidad & Tobago | 38 | 32 | 3,007 | 94 |
| 12 | Northern Ireland | 27 | 19 | 1,668 | 88 |
| 13 | Zimbabwe | 48 | 35 | 2,923 | 84 |
| 14 | Barbados | 40 | 33 | 2,440 | 74 |
| 15 | Zambia | 31 | 22 | 1,619 | 74 |
| 16 | Samoa | 28 | 23 | 1,652 | 72 |
| 17 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 17 | 15 | 1,074 | 72 |
| 18 | Fiji | 37 | 34 | 2,430 | 71 |
| 19 | Cook Islands | 13 | 9 | 593 | 66 |
| 20 | Sri Lanka | 21 | 18 | 1,137 | 63 |
Did You Know
Netball was first included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games and has been included ever since; it is currently one of the “core” sports that must be contested at each edition of the Games.
POINTS SYSTEM IN WORLD NETBALL
The number of points a team earns in a match depends on two factors: the result of the match (win, draw, or loss) and the rating of the opponent they played against.
Here’s a simplified explanation with numerical examples to illustrate the point:
- When a team wins a match, they earn 50 points more than their opponent’s rating. For example, if the opponent’s rating is 200, the winning team will earn 250 points for that match.
- On the other hand, if a team loses a match, they will earn 50 points less than their opponent’s rating. So, if the opponent’s rating is 200, the losing team will earn 150 points for that match.
It’s important to note that this rule doesn’t always apply. Sometimes, different criteria or systems may be in place for calculating points.
However, in most scenarios, the netball ranking system follows this simple principle of earning additional points for a win and deducting points for a loss based on the opponent’s rating.
Did You Know
Fun Net is a version of netball developed by Netball Australia for five- to seven-year-olds. It aims to improve basic netball skills using games and activities.
NETBALL WORLD RANKING RATING PERIOD:
The current rating period began on July 1, 2019. Once a team has played the minimum required number of international test matches during this period, they will earn an official world ranking.
However, even if a team has played fewer than the minimum matches, they will still have a rating assigned to them. The rating reflects their performance, but they will only have a corresponding ranking once they meet the minimum match requirement.
Currently, the minimum number of matches needed to have a ranking is six.
In simpler terms, a team needs to play a certain number of matches against other rated teams to earn an official world ranking in netball. If they haven’t played enough matches, they will still have a rating, but a ranking won’t accompany it
Did You Know
Unfortunately, netball is not currently an Olympic sport, but there is a solid campaign to have it added to the programme. The biggest reasons why the no contact sport is not part of the Olympic Games are the lack of countries where it is played and the low number of male players worldwide.
The netball ranking system assigns ratings to teams based on their performance. Once a team has played at least six matches, they become eligible for an official world ranking. Currently, the following teams have ratings in the system and have the potential to be ranked once they meet the match requirement:
- Canada.
- Chinese Taipei.
- Dominica
- India
- Israel
- Maldives
- Thailand.
On the other hand, World Netball Members are eligible to participate in ranked matches but have not yet done so. Consequently, these teams do not currently have a rating or ranking. This group includes
- Pakistan
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Bermuda.
Since the inception of the WN World Rankings in 2007, the methodology has been regularly reviewed by the WN Board. These reviews aim to ensure that the ranking system remains robust, reliable, and accurately reflects the quality and standing of international teams. This allows the system to be confidently used for purposes such as qualification.
The ongoing evaluations and adjustments to the ranking methodology help maintain a fair and credible system that accurately represents team performances in international netball.
NETBALL WORLD RANKING-FAQS
The rating is an average – total points earned divided by the number of matches played – and this rating is used to determine the ranking. The ranking is the position in which your rating puts you (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). The higher your point’s average, the higher your rating, and the higher your rating, the higher you’re ranking.
To qualify for a rating, you must be a Full Member of World Netball and have played at least one international match (with umpires appointed by World Netball) over the rating period.
To qualify for a world ranking, a team must be a Member of World Netball and must have played the required minimum number of matches, and at least 2 of those matches must be against other ranked teams.
A rating period is 3 to 4 years. Each year the oldest year of results is dropped during our annual update. The matches played in the first two years of the new rating period are only weighted at 50%, and those played more recently are weighted at 100%. As soon as a team has played the minimum number of international test matches required over the rating period, with at least 2 of these against other ranked teams, they will earn an official world ranking.
After every match, the two teams are awarded a certain number of points; these points are not to be confused with the match’s score. Only two factors determine how many points a team receives:
The result (win, loss, draw)
The rating of the opponents
It is vital for a rating of an opponent to be reflected. Otherwise, it would penalize teams for having fixtures against strong countries and reward those who only play weak sides.
The rating formula automatically adjusts for how easy or difficult a team’s their opponent’s strength has unduly influenced their rankings by their opponents’ strength.
