Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own goal ring. It is one of a few sports created exclusively for women and girls and remains primarily played by them, on indoor and outdoor courts, especially in schools and most popularly in the Commonwealth of Nations.
The American Samoa men's national football team represents American Samoa in men's international association football and is controlled by the Football Federation American Samoa, the governing body of the sport in the territory. American Samoa's home ground is the Pago Park Soccer Stadium in Pago Pago.
World Netball, previously known as the International Netball Federation and the International Federation of Netball Associations, is the worldwide governing body for Netball. The INF was created in 1960 and is responsible for world rankings, maintaining the rules for netball and organising the Netball World Cup and Netball at the Commonwealth Games
Sports in American Samoa are slightly different from sports in Samoa. The main difference is that Samoans in American Samoa are more likely to follow or play American sports such as American football, basketball, and baseball. Western Samoans are more likely to follow or play rugby union, rugby league, and netball. Sports such as mixed martial arts, boxing, professional wrestling, and volleyball are popular among most ethnic Samoans regardless of location.
The Fiji National Netball Team better known at the Fiji Pearls represents Fiji in international netball competition. Fiji have competed at nine World Netball Championships, finishing sixth in their best placing at the 1999 tournament. They have also competed at two Commonwealth Games, and won the netball event at the South Pacific Games for a number of years. They have won gold at every games since 1991. They are also the current Pacific Champions, winning the all Pacific Series since its inception.
The Singapore national netball team are the national netball team representing Singapore. The Singapore team have competed at eight World Netball Championships. They have also won three Nations Cup titles.
The Malaysia national netball team represents Malaysia in international netball competition at the quadrennial World Netball Championships for the INF Netball World Cup. Malaysia lost the title at the 2005 Asian Netball Championships to Singapore, 53–39. Malaysia qualified for the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore, finishing 16th. The team was coached by Choo Kon Lee. As of 2 December 2019, Malaysia is world ranked at 25th. Following the appointment of Australia's Tracey Robinson as head coach in 2016 the team were the 2018 Asian Netball Championships, defeating Sri Lanka. Another title followed at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games captained by Nur Syafazliyana against Singapore. They defended their title at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, beating Singapore 48-42.
Netball in Oceania is generally regarded as a woman's sport. Women's sports in Oceania have traditionally had a very low profile. Despite this, netball is popular in Oceania, with its growth partly because of New Zealand encouraging the game and providing money for the training of coaches, umpires and other netball development needs. In New Zealand and in neighbouring Australia, netball is one of the most popular sports played by women.
The United States national netball team represents the United States in international netball competition at the quadrennial World Netball Championships for the INF Netball World Cup. The US national team comprises mostly expatriate players from Commonwealth countries where netball is popular, including Jamaica. The team competed at the 2003 World Netball Championships in Jamaica, finishing 9th. Prior to 2008, the final placings of the World Netball Championships were used to determine INF World Rankings, and from 2003–07 United States was ranked 9th. It did not compete at the 2007 World Netball Championships in New Zealand. As of December 2, 2019, United States is ranked in the world at 37th.
The Netball World Cup Sydney 2015 (NWC2015) was the 14th edition of the INF Netball World Cup, the premier competition in international netball. It was held from 7–16 August, in Sydney, Australia, which secured hosting rights after defeating a rival bid from Manchester, England. Matches were played at Allphones Arena and Netball Central. Sixteen nations competed at the championships, including the top six teams from the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore. After two rounds in which teams competed in pools of four, Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica contested the semi-finals. Australia defended its 2011 title against New Zealand by a narrow 58–55 victory. The final at Allphones Arena was attended by 16,752 people, a world record for any netball game. Malawian shooter Mwai Kumwenda was the player of distinction.
The Tonga national netball team represents Tonga in international women's netball. Although netball has been played in Tonga, they joined the International Netball Federation in 2011. Tonga won bronze at the South Pacific Games in 1983, 1991 and 1995. On 21 July 2019, Tonga Re-entered at nineteenth in the INF World Rankings.
The 2019 Netball World Cup was the 15th edition of the INF Netball World Cup. It was held from 12–21 July 2019 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England with matches being held on two courts. Host nation England finished their campaign with a bronze medal. New Zealand became 5th time champions after beating Australia in the final and gold medal match.
The Pacific Netball Series is an annual netball competition organised by the Oceania Netball Federation. This is played by the top four non elite teams in the INF World Rankings.
The 2023 Netball World Cup was the sixteenth staging of the Netball World Cup, the premier competition in international netball, contested every four years. The tournament was held from 28 July to 6 August at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, its first time in Africa.
Gail Parata is a New Zealand netball coach and former player. She is currently a National netball selector for Netball NZ and the Technical Advisor to the Tifa Moana Samoan national netball team. She coached the Scotland national netball team from 2013 to 2019 where they qualified for two world cups and two Commonwealth Games. Under her leadership they achieved their highest world ranking of 7th position.
Auteletoa Tanimo is a Samoan New Zealander netball player who plays as a goal attack and goal shoot. She has represented Samoa internationally as part of the Samoa national netball team.
Soli Ropati is a Samoan netball player who plays as a wing defence. She has represented Samoa internationally as part of the Samoa national netball team and plays for City West Falcons in the Victorian Netball League.
Larafina Tanielu-Stowers is a Samoan netball player who plays as a goal shoot and goal keeper. She has represented Samoa internationally at the Pacific Games and as part of the Samoa national netball team.
Ainsleyana Puleiata is a Samoan New Zealander netball player who has represented Samoa internationally. She plays for the Central Pulse.
Saviour Tui is a Samoa netball international. Tui was a member of three title winning teams in New Zealand's National Netball League. In 2018 and 2019, Tui won titles with Central Zone/Central Manawa. In 2021 she won a third title with Northern Marvels. She was also a member of the Central Pulse team that won the 2018 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. She was a fringe member of the 2021 Northern Mystics team that were ANZ Premiership champions. Since 2022, she has played for Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership.
