The Pacific Challenge tournament will be the first national competition designed exclusively for Pacific-based netball players. Photo: Netball Australia
Pacific Islands netball playing nations believe the new PacificAus Sports Netball Challenge is the right step towards helping strengthen regional netball.
Netball Australia, in partnership with the Australian government through PacificAus Sports, has confirmed the first-ever Pacfic Challenge tournament, to take place in Brisbane in November 2026.
The tournament will be the first national competition designed exclusively for Pacific-based netball players.
Netball Australia said that unlike previous editions of the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, which featured Pacific athletes based in Australia or New Zealand, the 2026 Challenge will be solely for players who live and play the sport in the competing countries of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.
The new tournament will likely alternate annually with the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, which will be held in 2027, rather than the annual cycle it has followed since 2023.
Netball Australia chief executive officer Stacey West said the Challenge tournament will create new opportunities for athletes, coaches, and administrators across the Pacific and grow netball internationally.
"This initiative is crucial in supporting Pacific Netball Federations to continue their in-country development and maintain the growth and sustainability of netball globally, particularly in the lead-up to major events like the Netball World Cup and as netball pursues Olympic inclusion," West said.
She said the concept for the Challenge tournament emerged from consultations between Netball Australia and Pacific netball federations.
Pacific Island federations wanted clearer pathways for Pacific-based netballers to compete at the national level, she added.
Netball Australia said the Challenge tournament was created to inspire and strengthen the development of high-performance netballers across the Pacific region, bridging the gap between Pacific-based athletes and their international counterparts.
Tonga Netball CEO and Oceania Netball Federation president Salote Sisifa supports the initiative, adding it will be a big boost for local netball players and officials.
"Having this Challenge event in place is welcoming for all, because it's where our local players, local coaching staff, and local administration step in," Sisifa said.
"As for the athletes who really stand out - this is the pathway to bridge the gap between our local players and the national team."
Netball Samoa chief Justine Samu said the new tournament will be massive for the island nations competing in it.
"This Challenge tournament is a true game changer for our emerging local athletes. It strengthens our commitment to providing high-performance development pathways," she said.
"I believe this initiative will reignite the passion for netball among young girls, encouraging them to return to the sport in secondary school and beyond, ultimately expanding our reach across Samoa."
It is the same sentiments echoed by Netball Fiji president RubyAnn Sorovaki.
"With a high percentage of our athletes being locally based, a competition like this lifts opportunity for a wider cross section of athletes to participate both in our pathway and become possible squad members," Sorovaki said.
Netball Australia said with a busy international calendar ahead in 2026, this tournament offers Pacific Netball Federations a timely opportunity to develop local talent and build regional capacity for future competition.
Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga had used a lot of their overseas-based players in the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, while Fiji and Papua New Guinea had a couple of players playing overseas.
The PacificAus Sports Netball Challenge will be played from 23-28 November next year.
