World Netball has announced plans for the Netball World Cup to be held every two years instead of the current four-year cycle to sustain and grow the sport over the long term. Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has since welcomed the move, saying it will enhance competition. World Netball chief executive officer Fiona Harold was quoted by BBC as having said the plan is also due to the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Commonwealth Games. “We need to be proactive about future-proofing ourselves given the uncertainty around the Commonwealth Games post 2026,” she said on the decision to switch the World Cup to a biennial event. “These decisions allow us to control our destiny and it’s positive news for everyone. “As the International Federation, it is our job to sustain and grow the game over the long term.” The long-term future of the Commonwealth Games is unclear after difficulties in finding a host nation for the 2026 edition due to rising costs. Australia won the bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, but pulled out in July 2023 due to budget blowouts. Just a month later, the government of Alberta pulled out its support for a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, citing rising costs. Glasgow has agreed to step in as host for next year’s event but only after getting assurances they could run a scaled-down version, with 10 sports set to take place across four venues in the city. The world netball governing body further says all future World Cups will take place in November to allow for consistency and avoid disruption to domestic leagues. They are also launching a new biennial event from November 2028 that will take place in non-World Cup years. Reacting to the development, NAM president Vitumbiko Gubuduza said in an interview on Sunday: “It’s a welcome development, and as NAM, we have received the news positively as it will encourage us to remain focused on the Queens Rebuilding. “This is an opportunity and can only spur us on in our resolve to rebuild the game. This should challenge us as well as the Queens players.” On cost implications, she said: “It will require us to financially plan well to ensure participation, but also encourage us to remain committed to rebuilding the team.” Gubuduza also said the Queens need to improve to be taken as a serious contender. She said: “We have government and Nico Group support, and what remains is for us to perform and bring results so that we can be taken seriously as a title contender in world netball.” On her part, Malawi Queens co-coach Peace Chawinga-Kalua described the development as a game-changer for the sport. She said: “This increased frequency of competition is a welcome development, especially considering the scarcity of regional tournaments in netball. “By having more regular tournaments, teams will be motivated to remain active and competitive throughout the year, leading to a more accurate reflection of their ranking. This, in turn, will drive growth and improvement in the sport, as teams strive to climb the rankings and assert their dominance. “Overall, this news is a major boost for netball, promising a brighter and more competitive future for the sport.” The next tournament is set to be hosted in Australia in 2027. Australia-based Malawian netball star Mwawi Kumwenda, who was named 2015 Netball World Cup Player of the Tournament, said: “It’s an interesting development. On one hand it coukd increase excitement for players, fans nad, of course, viewership, potentially attracting more sponsors and noosting revenue. On the other hand, we hpe the condensed schedule has been carefully thought through by World Netball.”