She Cranes set for South Africa showdown in Africa Netball Cup final

Friday fixtures

Uganda vs winner between Kenya and Malawi (men) 10:00am

Saturday fixture

Finals : Uganda vs South Africa (women) 6pm

Uganda’s She Cranes will face continental rivals South Africa in the Africa Netball Cup final on Saturday after a last-minute change to the tournament format.

The decision followed an intense meeting between Netball Africa and team managers over the competition’s format, with World Netball eventually intervening to resolve the impasse.

Uganda and South Africa had already secured qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

Following the discussions, it was agreed that the two already-qualified nations would meet in the Africa Netball Cup final, while Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and hosts Kenya would battle for the remaining two World Cup slots.

The four teams will face off to determine the two best sides that will join Uganda and South Africa at the 2027 World Cup.

At first, Uganda was scheduled to face Namibia in the semi-final, while South Africa was set to take on Malawi.

For the She Cranes, the change means they will not have to play a semi-final, giving the players valuable time to recover after a demanding group stage.

Goal defender Evelyn Ayitesi said the team had been prepared for a semi-final but welcomed the additional rest ahead of Saturday’s final.

“It was obvious that we were going to win against Namibia in the semi-finals. The change in fixture has given us time to relax after tight group fixtures. By Saturday, we will be good to go,” Ayitesi said.

Uganda have endured a demanding campaign, with the players having to manage the physical and mental demands of consecutive matches.

The extra recovery time could therefore allow the She Cranes to return to the court refreshed as they seek to reclaim the continental title.

Goal shooter Christine Namulumba, who has emerged as one of Uganda’s leading scorers in the tournament, is confident the team has what it takes to overcome South Africa.

Goal shooter Christine Namulumba aiming to shoot

“We have played South Africa for quite some time. We are confident that we shall overcome,” Namulumba said.

The final will also renew a familiar rivalry between two of Africa’s leading netball nations, with Uganda seeking to finish the tournament on a high after their group-stage campaign.

In their last Africa meeting in Malawi, South Africa defeated Uganda 56–34 to win the trophy.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s men’s team, The Rock, who finished third in their group, will have to wait until Friday for their next assignment.

The Rock will face the winner between Malawi and Kenya in the bronze-medal play-off as they seek to finish the tournament on the podium.