Kabutha: Kenya ready to host 2027 Netball World Cup qualifier

By Newsflash Reporter

Kenya Netball Federation president Immaculate Kabutha says Kenya is ready to host a historic Africa Netball regional qualifier, with technical officials undergoing intensive training ahead of the World Cup qualification tournament in Nairobi.

Kabutha said the three-day technical officials’ course at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, concluded on Monday, August 31, with participants trained on how to manage the bench and handle technical duties during the championship.

The tournament is part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 World Cup in Sydney, Australia, and will bring together 10 countries, with only two expected to earn qualification places.

“It was very important for us to have this course because the Africa board has indicated that the host country always produces the technical officials,” explained Kabutha.

A section of Kenya Netball Officials who attended the technical training course at Kasarani. Photo/KNF

The course was conducted by South African Netball tutor Magriet Bester, who took officials through the demanding requirements of scoring, goal recording and other technical duties.

Kabutha noted that accuracy was critical to prevent complaints during matches.

“For our national team, we are really prepared for the Africa qualifiers. We know there is a challenge because out of the 10 countries, only two countries are expected to qualify,” she said.

Kenya’s men’s and women’s teams have been training at Kasarani for the past month, and Kabutha believes the sides have the capacity to secure one of the two tickets.

She also revealed that teams have been advised to use the Stadion Hotel, although accommodation and welfare arrangements remain the responsibility of individual countries. Other hotels around Kasarani have also been made available to participating teams.

Historic opportunity for Kenya and East Africa

The championship will be historic for Kenya and East Africa, according to Kabutha, as the region has never hosted an African championship or qualifier.

She thanked Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and other stakeholders for their support, saying the country’s ability to host the event was boosted by the installation of an audience plan floor donated through World Netball and South Africa.

Kabutha said the facility now gives Kenya the capacity to host more international tournaments to world standards.

Kenya has previously travelled to South Africa, Namibia and Malawi for competitions, countries which have also benefited from World Netball floors.

“This is something very big for us in East Africa and something big for us in Kenya,” she observed.

The Africa Netball Cup qualifiers will run from September 19-26 in Nairobi, involving Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Tanzania and Nigeria. Kenya has never been to the Netball World Cup, while Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been there.