International pathways boost netball stars but must feed back into strong local leagues

South African netball continues to grow in stature on the global stage, with an increasing number of players securing contracts in international leagues.

This year, 16 players have signed deals abroad, with the UK attracting the largest share of South African talent, with eight players signed to the Netball Super League, the country’s elite competition.

Most notably, Khanyisa Chawane, who captained the Proteas in the recent series against England, along with Sanmarie Visser and Nicola Smith, have secured contracts with UK clubs.

South African players have also been signed in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Jamaica and the US.

Recognised for their quality

The number of South Africans playing abroad is an encouraging indicator of the current standing of South African netball internationally. This is according to Mami Diale, the President of Netball South Africa (Netball SA).

“It shows that our players are being recognised for their quality, professionalism and competitiveness on the global stage,” she said. “Competing regularly against top-ranked nations allows our players to display their abilities in high-performance environments, and that naturally attracts interest from leading overseas clubs.”

It further spoke to the growth and stability within the Proteas programme, said Diale.

In 2022, Netball SA took a major step towards professionalising the sport when it announced that some players and technical staff would be handed professional contracts for the first time.

This move allowed players to focus exclusively on netball, creating space for the game and players to grow, leading to greater international recognition. That progress is reflected in the number of South Africans securing overseas contracts, rising from just seven in 2022 to more than double that number in 2026.

“Players are developing in structured and professional environments, which prepares them to perform better both locally and internationally,” said Diale.

“Importantly, these opportunities benefit South African netball as a whole,” she said. “When our players compete in some of the strongest leagues in the world, they gain valuable experience that they bring back into the national system. That exposure contributes to the continued growth and competitiveness of the Proteas.”

Between 29 January and 1 February, the Proteas, ranked fifth in the world, secured a historic 2-1 series win against the world’s No 4 team, the English Roses.

The three-match series came down to the wire after both teams had claimed a victory, leaving the last game and the series up for grabs.

“Overall, the players signing with overseas clubs is a strong indicator that South African netball is respected internationally and that our athletes are firmly part of the global high-performance netball landscape,” said Diale.

Effect on the domestic game

The international leagues, particularly the Australian and English leagues, which start this month, will overlap with the Telkom Netball League, South Africa’s premier netball competition, which commences at the end of April.

When asked whether the growing demand for South African players abroad risks stalling the growth and commercial potential of the local game, Diale emphasised that the exodus of players did not weaken the domestic league in any way. Rather, it created opportunities for emerging players to step into high-performance environments, she said.

Sharing the court with experienced national players raised the standard of competition in SA and allowed opportunities for emerging players to learn directly from them.

“At the same time, the international success and visibility of South African players strengthens the profile and marketability of the league, as it highlights the Telkom Netball League as a pathway to the global stage,” said Diale.

“This is a reality of modern high-performance sport, where athletes increasingly have opportunities to compete in professional environments around the world.”

The approach the federation took was one of collaboration, said Diale, where coaching staff worked closely together with franchises and players to plan appropriately, including calendar communication and clear agreements regarding national duty.

“Our primary responsibility is to ensure that the national programme and the long-term development of our players remain a priority, while also recognising that international league exposure is valuable for both the players and South African netball as a whole,” said Diale. “Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that these opportunities complement each other rather than compete with each other.”

For Netball SA, the Telkom Netball League is of the highest priority and the most important competition for national squad selection.

“While we fully support players pursuing opportunities abroad, the league remains a key platform for high performance in SA,” said Diale. “The long-term goal is to ensure that the experience gained internationally feeds back into the domestic game, allowing more players to play in a high-performance environment and continue to raise the overall standard of South African netball.”

Diale also recognised that while Netball SA was semi-professional, the federation was not in a position to be competing with overseas contracts. The issue with sports in SA was that most sports remained amateur or semi-professional, because the financial backing from the government was not there. This meant there was a strong reliance on sponsorship from the private sector.

However, Netball SA was planning to conduct a “special” programme that would contract players and compete against international leagues. At the moment, the organisation was waiting for a sponsor confirmation before an announcement could be made.

The next international fixture for the Proteas will be the Commonwealth Games starting on 23 July. SA is in a pool alongside England, reigning gold medallists Australia, Tonga, Malawi and Northern Ireland. DM