By Tapiwa Chawagarira
Zimbabwe’s senior women’s netball team, the Gems, will begin their quest for a third successive Netball World Cup appearance when the African qualifiers for the Sydney 2027 tournament get underway in Nairobi, Kenya, this weekend.
The eight-day qualification tournament will run from September 19 to 26 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, with Zimbabwe among eight nations battling for the two available African places at next year’s global showpiece.
The Gems have established themselves as one of Africa’s leading netball sides after featuring at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool and the 2023 edition in Cape Town, and they will be eager to extend that run by booking their place in Sydney.
Zimbabwe has been drawn in Pool 1 alongside Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania, setting up a demanding group campaign in which every match could prove decisive in the race for qualification.
The Gems will open their campaign against Botswana on Saturday, September 19, at 3 p.m. local time, before facing Namibia on Monday and Tanzania on Wednesday.
The qualification battle is expected to be fiercely contested, with the tournament featuring Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. The top two sides will earn invitations to compete at the 16-team Netball World Cup in Sydney.
South Africa and Uganda will not be involved in the qualification race after securing automatic places alongside hosts Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and England by virtue of their positions in the World Netball rankings at the qualification cut-off.
The Gems therefore know that the margin for error in Nairobi will be small, particularly against opponents who will also view the tournament as their opportunity to break into the global elite.
For Zimbabwe, the opening encounter against Botswana provides an immediate test of their ambitions before the team turns its attention to Namibia and Tanzania.
The tournament also comes at a significant stage in the development of Zimbabwean netball, with the emergence of younger players through the Zambezi Eagles development project expected to strengthen the national side’s depth.
World Netball has confirmed that the Sydney 2027 tournament will be staged from August 25 to September 5 next year, with the five regional qualifiers around the world determining the remaining 10 teams.
With only two African tickets available, the Gems will need consistency, composure, and a strong start in Nairobi if they are to keep their World Cup dream alive and make it three appearances in a row.
Zimbabwe’s opening fixtures are as follows:
September 19: Botswana vs. Zimbabwe — 3 p.m.
September 21: Zimbabwe vs. Namibia — 2 p.m.
September 23: Tanzania vs. Zimbabwe — 2 p.m.
