Netball Africa has its continuous share of disorganization, a reality vividly exposed during fixtures arrangements at the 2026 Africa Netball Cup in Kenya. Yet, back home, the domestic drama surrounding Netball Uganda never seems to stop. 

On September 14th, the She Cranes left Uganda by bus, went on to win the Africa Netball Cup in Kenya, and returned home by bus on September 27^th, a grueling transit reality that has raised profound questions.

The controversy erupted into public view when the State Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, came out through a post reply on X (formerly Twitter) on a Saturday night. 

His remarks came hours after Uganda gloriously beat defending champions South Africa 56-53 in the final to lift the African title and successfully secure qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.   

“This is strange. I have just talked to the General Secretary of NCS, and he confirmed that the Netball Federation was fully facilitated to participate in this tournament in Kenya,” Ogwang wrote.   

“The decision to make the team travel by road is not just shocking but unfortunate, and I am going to investigate further. I will personally host the team when they return and get to the bottom of this matter.”

The minister was responding directly to an online post inquiring whether he knew the players had traveled by road and were expected to return the exact same way. Notably, he did not specify the exact amount of funding the federation received, whether it explicitly covered air travel, or who ultimately authorized the cost-cutting transport decision. Up to that point, the federation had not publicly responded to his remarks. 

Unpacking the Financial Paper TrailThis development naturally sparks a core question: Did Netball Uganda receive this money separately, or was it drawn from the quarterly disbursements routinely given to federations?

To understand the puzzle, one must look at how the funds were initially accounted for. In the beginning, Netball Uganda claimed they received 250 million Uganda Shillings, a sum meant to cover players’ allowances, transport, accommodation, and other federation activities for the quarter that commenced in July.

However, a massive chunk of that money vanished before it could touch the current campaign: 142 million Uganda Shillings was deducted and channeled to a money lender who had previously paid for the team’s air tickets for an earlier Africa Netball Cup, clearing a lingering debt left behind by the former Normalization Committee amounting to 133 million Uganda Shillings plus accrued interest.

Following this deduction, the balance on the account dwindled down to 108 million Uganda Shillings.Further deductions were made to finance Umpires who had traveled out of the country to study for an international umpiring badge, costing in the region of $200 to $250.

With roughly 107 million Uganda Shillings finally remaining, a glaring question lingers; Where did Netball Uganda source the rest of the funds required for both national teams (men and women) to participate in the entire Africa Netball Cup tournament? 

Did they procure another loan that will mysteriously surface in the future?

Rewards on the Ground

Meanwhile, as financial accountability questions swirl at the top, the athletes who carried the nation’s flag high have received modest rewards for their sweat. 

Reliably informed sources indicate that the ladies who clinched Gold after edging the SPAR Proteas of South Africa 56-53 received individual allowances of 1.5 million Uganda Shillings per player. 

Concurrently, the Rock, the men’s netball team that proudly bagged bronze, received 1 million Uganda Shillings per player.

Ultimately, while the minister’s strong statement is yet to yield explicit financial clarification from top federation officials, the paradox of continental champions enduring a exhausting bus journey despite claimed full funding leaves the sports fraternity demanding answers.

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For years, the memory of 2018 in Lusaka, Zambia stood as the golden peak for Uganda’s senior women’s national netball team, the She Cranes. That historic year, led by the towering presence of Peace Proscovia, Uganda conquered the continent to secure their second successive Africa Netball Championship title with an unbeaten run. 

In the seasons that followed, the team consistently proved their mettle on global stages, cementing their world ranking with iconic top five finishes at the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup. 

Yet, despite their rising international status, the coveted continental trophy continuously eluded them, marked by agonisingly close calls and a heartbreaking defeat to archrivals South Africa in the 2025 final.

The agonising eight-year drought finally came to an end on September 26, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, where the She Cranes scripted a magnificent redemption story.

Storming through the Africa Netball Cup tournament with an entirely unbeaten campaign, Uganda faced off against the defending champions, South Africa’s SPAR Proteas, in a highly anticipated final. 

In a point-for-point tactical battle at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, the She Cranes displayed relentless defence and clinical shooting accuracy to edge out South Africa 56-53. 

The victory officially restored the She Cranes as the undisputed Queens of African netball, completing a triumphant journey from their 2018 glory days straight back to the pinnacle of continental supremacy.

The Genesis of a Dream: From Lugogo to Nairobi

The journey to this monumental triumph truly began weeks prior, on September 14, 2026, at the Copper Chimney in Lugogo. There, Assistant General Secretary Administration Joseph Oluga, alongside Netball Uganda President Jocelyn Ucanda and other federation executives, officially flagged off the contingent. Travelling by bus to Nairobi alongside their male counterparts, head coach Rashid Mubiru’s squad carried the hopes of a nation.

Placed in a ferocious Pool 2 alongside heavyweights like Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, and hosts Kenya, the She Cranes immediately laid down a marker. They opened their campaign with a resounding 68-30 demolition of tournament debutants Nigeria. Momentum only built from there as they swept past Zambia 59-40 and dominated the host nation Kenya 62-42.

The ultimate test of their group resolve came against the Malawi Queens. In a fiery, nerve-wracking thriller, Uganda survived a fierce second-half comeback to triumph 54-49, sweeping Pool 2 with a flawless record and a maximum of 8 points.

Behind the scenes, tournament drama unfolded when marathon discussions between organisers and team managers stretched until late on Wednesday, September 23. World Netball intervened with a format overhaul: because Uganda and South Africa had already secured automatic qualification for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 via their elite world rankings (sitting 6th and 5th respectively), the updated pathway dictated that the pool winners would clash directly in the final.

However, all was reversed by Netball Africa and before reaching that grand stage, the She Cranes had to navigate a tricky semi-final against Namibia on Friday, September 25. Clinging to a slender six-goal advantage at halftime, Uganda turned up the heat in the third quarter, turning the game into a commanding 12-goal cushion before sealing a comfortable 52-41 victory (carrying a 41-29 lead into the final period) to book their date with destiny.

Conquering the Proteas: The Grand Finale

On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the hardwood of the Kasarani Indoor Arena played host to a classic chapter of African netball history. Facing the formidable South African SPAR Proteas, the She Cranes left everything on the court. In a pulse-pounding, breathless 60-minute spectacle, Uganda outmanoeuvred and outfought the champions to secure a close 56–53 victory.

Lifting the continental trophy for the fourth time in history following past glories in Botswana (2014), Uganda (2017), and Zambia (2018), the She Cranes not only claimed redemption but also officially punched their ticket to the Sydney 2027 Netball World Cup.

For veteran Goal Attacker Racheal Nanyonga, the sole active survivor from Uganda’s historic 2015 Sydney squad, this qualification marked a deeply poetic, full-circle milestone as she looks toward her third global showpiece.

The Rock’s rise: A bronze journey for Uganda’s men

While the women’s team chased gold on the grand stage, Uganda’s national men’s netball team, The Rock, was busy forging an unforgettable narrative of its own under the tactical guidance of head coach Jesse Asiimwe. 

Backed by Kampala University proprietor and Patron Professor Badru Ddungu Kateregga, the 14-player squad, featuring an exciting blend of seasoned tacticians, university standouts, and club stars from sides like WOB, Kampala University, and Legacy, arrived in Nairobi hungry to make history.

Competing in a gruelling men’s division against regional powerhouses including South Africa, Malawi, Eswatini, and hosts Kenya, The Rock displayed immense determination and physical resilience. Building upon the foundational steps of previous campaigns such as their runner-up finish in South Africa and a statement opening win against Botswana, the squad fought tooth and nail through the group phases.

In the third-place playoff match against tournament hosts Kenya, the Ugandan men delivered a tactical masterclass. Playing with fire in their hearts and discipline in their execution, The Rock outclassed the hosts 46-35 to capture a historic bronze medal.

This monumental podium finish represents Uganda’s best-ever performance at the continental level, drastically improving upon their fifth-place finish at the previous year’s Africa Netball Cup in Malawi. 

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Inside the Kasarani Indoor Arena in the Kenyan capital Nairobi was tension and euphoria as the curtains drew to a close on the 2026 Africa Netball Cup.

Beyond the battle for continental glory, the tourney was the official African regional qualifier for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027. 

When the dust settled, Malawi and Namibia etched their names into the history books by securing Africa’s remaining two tickets to the global showpiece. Their qualification marks a significant reward for stellar performances in Nairobi, allowing both nations to join the continent’s established powerhouses on the world stage.

The road to Sydney: How qualification unfolded

The tournament began with ten ambitious nations competing for supremacy. However, the path to qualification was uniquely shaped by pre-existing global rankings. 

Because Uganda’s She Cranes and South Africa’s SPAR Proteas were already assured of their places at the Sydney 2027 Netball World Cup through their lofty positions in the global rankings, the protocol dictated that the two remaining African qualification slots would be allocated to the next highest-placed eligible teams. 

The tournament hit a dramatic twist when World Netball implemented a late-night change to the format. Traditional semi-final pairings were revised, resulting in pool leaders Uganda and South Africa meeting directly in a knockout encounter designed to preserve the integrity of the qualification process. By simply reaching the final, both Uganda and South Africa officially sealed their automatic qualification, regardless of the match outcome. 

That left Malawi and Namibia battling fiercely for the remaining African tickets. Seizing the opportunity, Malawi Netball and Namibia Netball powered through to the semi-finals, making their appearances decisive and booking their flights to Australia.

Uganda dethrones South Africa in final

With qualification secured, the stage was set for an epic crown climax. Uganda went on to crown its campaign in style, defeating defending champions South Africa 56–53 in a thrilling final at the Kasarani Indoor Arena. 

The victory saw the She Cranes dethrone South Africa to cement their position as continental champions. More than just a trophy, the triumph provided sweet revenge after Uganda had previously fallen to the Proteas in past continental finals.

Africa’s quartet set for the global showpiece

Ultimately, Africa will be represented by a formidable foursome at the global showpiece in Sydney. Malawi and Namibia earned their places through gritty performances on the courts of Nairobi, while Uganda and South Africa solidified their status through pre-qualification rankings.

The four official African qualifiers for the 2027 Netball World Cup are Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, and Namibia. The Sydney tournament will successfully bring together these four continental representatives to lock horns with the world’s leading netball nations, with Uganda heading down under proudly wearing the crown of Africa’s champions.

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