Top 10 Netball Teams in the World 2026
Data last verified: May 2026.
Australia lead the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 208, followed by New Zealand at 198 and England at 186, as the sport enters its most competitive two-year window.
The top 10 is more contested than at any point since the current ranking methodology was introduced in 2007.
With just 101 rating points separating Australia at the top from Wales, which climbed to 7th with a rating of 121 after a series of competitive results across the 2024 and 2025 international windows.
Key Takeaways
- Australia rank 1st with a rating of 208, holding a 10-point lead over New Zealand at 198, the closest the gap has been since 2019, according to the World Netball Rankings as of 1 March 2026.
- Liz Watson, Sunshine Coast Lightning midfielder and Australia captain, leads a 2025-26 Diamonds squad containing ten 2023 World Cup champions and nine 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallists, per Netball Australia’s official squad announcement.
- New Zealand’s 2025-26 squad is led by Grace Nweke, NSW Swifts Goal Shooter, who returned to Silver Ferns selection after receiving a special eligibility exemption approved by the Netball New Zealand Board in August 2025.
- England ranks 3rd under head coach Jess Thirlby, having held 2nd place as recently as October 2024 following a series win over Australia in Australia. England won the 2025 Netball Nations Cup, their first major international title since winning the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- Wales climbed to 7th in the current rankings, their highest-ever World Netball ranking, and will compete in Pool B at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games alongside New Zealand, Jamaica, Uganda, Scotland, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Want to know which of these nations will compete at Glasgow 2026 and how the pools are structured? Read the full upcoming netball events guide 2026-2027 on NetballOne.
How Does the World Netball Rankings System Work?
The World Netball Rankings system is a points-based system that assigns each nation a score calculated from results in official international test matches.
If a team wins a match, they earn 50 points more than their opponent’s rating. If they lose, they earn 50 points less than their opponent’s rating, so that beating a higher-ranked opponent produces a greater rating gain than beating a lower-ranked one.
A team must have played a minimum of eight rated international matches within the current rating period to hold an official ranking.
The current rating period began on 1 March 2023. Rankings are updated continuously after every ranked match and published formally on the World Netball website, so that the table below reflects the most current official standing available as of the data verification date for this article.
| Ranking | Team | Played | Rating | Change Since Aug 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 36 | 208 | +1 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 38 | 198 | +9 |
| 3 | England | 40 | 186 | +2 |
| 4 | Jamaica | 24 | 182 | 0 |
| 5 | South Africa | 43 | 166 | +13 |
| 6 | Uganda | 34 | 135 | +11 |
| 7 | Wales | 23 | 121 | +4 (up from 9th) |
| 8 | Tonga | 28 | 119 | 0 |
| 9 | Malawi | 31 | 112 | (down from 6th) |
| 10 | Scotland | 23 | 107 | 0 |
Why Does Australia Rank First in World Netball?
Australia rank first in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 208 because the Diamonds have won 12 of the 16 Netball World Cups ever staged, claimed the 2023 World Cup title in Cape Town by defeating England 61-45 in the final
Australia also won the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham, per confirmed records from World Netball and Wikipedia, so Australia holds simultaneous World Cup and Commonwealth Games titles heading into Glasgow 2026.
The 2025-26 Diamonds squad, selected by head coach Stacey Marinkovich, features captain Liz Watson of the Sunshine Coast Lightning alongside vice-captain Paige Hadley of the NSW Swifts, with ten World Cup champions and nine Commonwealth Games gold medallists in the 18-player group.
The shooting circle is built around Kiera Austin and Sophie Garbin of the Melbourne Vixens, Sophie Dwyer of GIANTS Netball, and Cara Koenen of the Sunshine Coast Lightning, with Courtney Bruce of the Sunshine Coast Lightning leading the defensive unit.
Australia’s pipeline strength was confirmed at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar, where a Diamonds under-21 squad coached by Cathy Fellows, Adelaide Thunderbirds assistant coach, defeated New Zealand 63-48 in the final. Read the full 2025 Netball World Youth Cup results on NetballOne for the complete tournament breakdown.
Why Does New Zealand Rank Second in World Netball?
New Zealand ranks second in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 198, the closest they have been to Australia since 2019, because the Silver Ferns won the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool by one goal over Australia.
It has maintained a top-two ranking continuously since 2003, and entered the current period with a restructured squad that adds Grace Nweke’s shooting output to an experienced defensive core led by goalkeeper Kelly Jackson.
Dame Noeline Taurua coached the 2025–26 Silver Ferns squad, which included Grace Nweke as the NSW Swifts goal shooter.
The Netball New Zealand Board granted her an eligibility exemption in August 2025, allowing her to compete for the Silver Ferns while contracted to the NSW Swifts in the Suncorp Super Netball competition.
Nweke joins shooter Amelia Walmsley and Georgia Heffernan in the shooting circle, with a new defensive combination of Catherine Hall and Carys Stythe entering the squad for the first time. netball.com.aunetball.com.au
Nweke recorded 191 goals from 199 attempts at 96% accuracy at the 2024 Netball Nations Cup, making her the top scorer of that series by a significant margin.
Why Does England Rank Third in World Netball?
England ranks third in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 186, having held second place as recently as October 2024 after defeating Australia in a three-test series in Australia
They won the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal at the Gold Coast and reached the 2023 World Cup final in Cape Town, their best-ever World Cup result, before losing to Australia 61-45.
England head coach Jess Thirlby led the Vitality Roses to their first Netball Nations Cup title in February 2025, defeating South Africa 61-55 at Copper Box Arena in London.
It was a victory that ended five consecutive final defeats across nine editions of the Quad Series and Nations Cup.
Captain Fran Williams, who plays goalkeeper for the Vitality Roses, and goal shooter Helen Housby of the NSW Swifts are England’s two most experienced current internationals.
Read the full Netball Quad Series and Nations Cup history on NetballOne for the complete competition record.
Why Does Jamaica Rank Fourth in World Netball?
Jamaica rank fourth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 182, maintaining a top-four position they have held continuously since 2019, because the Sunshine Girls reached the 2022 Commonwealth Games final in Birmingham before losing to Australia 55-51.
She finished third at the 2023 World Cup in Cape Town and operates a youth development programme through the Jamaican Netball Federation that has consistently produced internationally competitive players for over a decade.
Jamaica’s fourth-place ranking, combined with the qualifying date of 1 September 2025, placed the Sunshine Girls in Pool B at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games alongside New Zealand, Wales, Uganda, Scotland, and Trinidad & Tobago, so that Pool B carries three of the world’s top four-ranked nations and represents the harder of the two pools at Glasgow.
Why Does South Africa Rank Fifth in World Netball?
South Africa ranks fifth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 166, a gain of 13 rating points since August 2023, because the SPAR Proteas reached the 2025 Netball Nations Cup final before losing to England 61-55
They hosted the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, where the Proteas finished sixth in their home tournament, and completed the 2025 South Africa Series against Australia across three tests in Bendigo, Wollongong, and Adelaide in October 2025.
In 2024, South Africa’s absence from the Nations Cup, replaced by Uganda, represented a strategic decision by Netball South Africa, as confirmed by SuperSport at the time, so that the Proteas could focus domestic resources before returning to the international arena in 2025.
South Africa will compete in Pool A at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games alongside Australia, England, Malawi, Tonga, and Northern Ireland.
Why Does Uganda Rank Sixth in World Netball?
Uganda rank sixth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 135, climbing 11 rating points since August 2023, because the She Cranes competed at both the 2024 Netball Nations Cup and the 2025 Netball Nations Cup, accumulating ranked match results against Australia, England, and New Zealand that pushed Uganda ahead of Malawi and Wales in the overall standings.
Uganda’s two Nations Cup appearances were consequential beyond ranking points. The She Cranes defeated New Zealand 62-57 in a round-robin match at the 2024 Nations Cup at First Direct Arena in Leeds, per confirmed Wikipedia match records — a result that stands as one of the most significant upsets in the competition’s history, so that Uganda’s top-six ranking reflects a genuine competitive threat confirmed at the elite level rather than a result of easy scheduling.
Uganda will compete in Pool B at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. For the full Commonwealth Games schedule and pool draw, visit the upcoming netball events guide on NetballOne.
Why Does Wales Rank Seventh in World Netball?
Wales ranks seventh in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 121, their highest-ever World Netball ranking, climbing from ninth in August 2023 as the Welsh national netball team, coached by Sara Moore, accumulated ranked international results across the 2024 and 2025 windows, moving Wales past Malawi in the standings.
They are currently ranked one position above Tonga at 121 compared to Tonga’s 119.
Wales will compete at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in Pool B, playing New Zealand in the opening session on 25 July 2026 at OVO Hydro, a fixture confirmed in the official Glasgow 2026 schedule.
Wales qualifying for a Commonwealth Games pool featuring New Zealand and Jamaica reflects exactly the kind of high-profile exposure that competitive test results across 2024 and 2025 earned them.
Why Does Tonga Rank Eighth in World Netball?
Tonga is ranked eighth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 119. It has held this position since first breaking into the top ten in 2022, following an unbeaten run at the PacificAUS Series and the Oceania World Cup Qualifier.
The Tala, coached by the Tonga Netball Association, compete in Pool A at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games alongside Australia, England, South Africa, Malawi, and Northern Ireland — the pool that contains the 2023 World Cup champion and runner-up.
Tonga qualified for the 2027 Netball World Cup Oceania Regional Qualifier, scheduled for Tonga from 14 to 19 September 2026, per the confirmed World Netball qualifier schedule, making the September 2026 home qualifier a defining moment in Tonga’s pathway toward their first World Cup appearance since 2023.
Why Does Malawi Rank Ninth in World Netball?
Malawi rank ninth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 112, having dropped from sixth in August 2023 as Uganda and Wales accumulated more ranked match results through the 2024 and 2025 international windows.
The Queens, as Malawi’s national team is known, competed at the 2025 Netball Nations Cup alongside England, South Africa, and Uganda, finishing fourth after losing the third-place playoff 50-45 to Uganda, per confirmed Wikipedia match records.
Malawi qualified for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in Pool A, competing alongside Australia, England, South Africa, Tonga, and Northern Ireland.
Malawi’s Commonwealth Games presence since 2002 has established the Queens as a consistent fixture in the global top ten, so that the ninth-place ranking represents a temporary dip rather than a structural decline in Malawi’s international standing.
Why Does Scotland Rank Tenth in World Netball?
Scotland ranks tenth in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 107, a position they have held consistently since 2022.
The Thistles, coached by Kath Tetley, became the first Scottish national netball team to compete at a Commonwealth Games when Scotland fielded a side at Glasgow 2014, per confirmed Glasgow 2026 official records, and have maintained a top-ten ranking continuously since that debut.
Scotland hosts the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as the home nation, giving the Thistles the opening fixture of the tournament against New Zealand on 25 July 2026 at OVO Hydro, a 14,300-capacity arena on the Scottish Event Campus.
Scotland also hosts the Europe Regional Qualifier for the 2027 World Cup from 25 to 27 September 2026, per the confirmed World Netball qualifier announcement, making Scotland’s 2026 international calendar its most significant since the 2014 home Commonwealth Games.
How Have the World Netball Rankings Changed Since 2023?
The current rankings reflect three significant shifts since the August 2023 standings published in the previous version of this article. Uganda climbed from 7th to 6th, displacing Malawi, after competing in both the 2024 and 2025 Nations Cup editions and recording a landmark win over New Zealand.
Wales climbed from 9th to 7th, their highest-ever ranking, after consistent international test results across 2024 and 2025. Malawi dropped from 6th to 9th as a result of both movements.
The top five — Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, and South Africa — remain unchanged in order from September 2025 qualifying dates used for the Commonwealth Games draw.
| Position Change | Team | Aug 2023 Rank | Mar 2026 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up 1 | Uganda | 7th | 6th |
| Up 2 | Wales | 9th | 7th |
| Down 3 | Malawi | 6th | 9th |
| Unchanged | Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, South Africa | 1-5 | 1-5 |
| Unchanged | Tonga, Scotland | 8th, 10th | 8th, 10th |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the top-ranked netball team in the world in 2026?
Australia rank first in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 208 as of 1 March 2026, per the official World Netball rankings page. Australia hold a 10-point lead over second-placed New Zealand, and has held the top ranking continuously since reclaiming it after the 2023 World Cup in Cape Town.
How are the World Netball Rankings calculated?
World Netball assigns each nation a rating based on results against rated opponents. Winning earns 50 points more than the opponent’s rating; losing earns 50 points less. A team must complete a minimum of eight rated international matches within the current rating period, which began 1 March 2023, to hold an official ranking.
Which country has won the most Netball World Cups?
Australia have won 12 of the 16 Netball World Cups staged between 1963 and 2023, more than any other nation. New Zealand have won four titles, including the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool. England reached their first World Cup final in 2023 in Cape Town before losing to Australia 61-45.
Why has Wales moved up the World Netball Rankings?
Wales climbed from 9th to 7th in the World Netball Rankings between August 2023 and March 2026, accumulating rated international match results across the 2024 and 2025 windows that moved Wales above Malawi in the standings. Wales enter the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games ranked 7th, their highest-ever World Netball ranking.
Who is the current captain of the Australian Diamonds?
Liz Watson, midfielder for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Suncorp Super Netball competition, captains the Australian Diamonds in the 2025-26 international cycle. Watson is supported by vice-captain Paige Hadley of the NSW Swifts. Both were named in Netball Australia’s official 2025-26 Diamonds squad announcement in July 2025.
Who leads the New Zealand Silver Ferns squad in 2026?
Grace Nweke, Goal Shooter for the NSW Swifts in the Suncorp Super Netball competition, leads the 2025-26 Silver Ferns shooting circle after receiving a special eligibility exemption approved by the Netball New Zealand Board in August 2025.
Head coach Dame Noeline Taurua selected Nweke alongside shooter Amelia Walmsley and newcomers Filda Vui and Martina Salmon.
What ranking does England hold in world netball in 2026?
England ranks third in the World Netball Rankings with a rating of 186 as of 1 March 2026, under head coach Jess Thirlby. They held second place as recently as October 2024 following a series win over Australia.
They also won the 2025 Netball Nations Cup, their first major international title since winning the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
When will the current World Netball Rankings be updated next?
World Netball updates rankings continuously after every rated international match, with formally published updates on the official World Netball rankings page at netball. sport. The rankings used for the 2027 World Cup seedings will be based on the standings as of 1 December 2026, per confirmed World Netball qualification framework documents.
Stay across every movement in the World Netball Rankings and what they mean for upcoming competitions. Bookmark the NetballOne competitions hub for rankings analysis, match results, and tournament guides.
