She Cranes ride high, Kenya awaits

She Cranes have Kenya in their sights as Uganda’s unbeaten start to the 2026 Africa Netball Cup gathers momentum, with the continental title now firmly within their reach.

Ranked sixth in the world, Uganda swept aside Nigeria 68-30 before powering past Zambia 59-40 on Monday to make it two wins from two in Nairobi and show their championship ambitions.

With hosts Kenya next on Tuesday evening, the She Cranes face a sterner examination of their credentials after opening the tournament with commanding displays built on speed, defensive pressure, physical strength and control of possession.

The 38-goal victory over Nigeria at Kasarani Indoor Arena immediately signalled Uganda’s intent in a tournament featuring 10 of Africa’s leading netball nations. The Green Hawks, appearing at their first major continental championship, could not match Uganda’s intensity and organisation after also losing 61-40 to hosts Kenya in their opening match. 

Uganda carried that momentum into Monday’s clash with Zambia at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, using their speed through court and sustained defensive pressure to gradually pull away and secure another convincing victory.

The She Cranes’ perfect start has placed them among the leading contenders for continental honours, although the tougher tests are now arriving. Kenya awaits on Tuesday before Uganda completes its Pool 2 programme against Malawi on Wednesday afternoon. 

Malawi has also made a strong start, beating Zambia and Kenya before overwhelming Nigeria 82-22 on Monday to maintain a perfect record. That makes the Uganda-Malawi meeting potentially significant in determining the final Pool 2 positions and the teams advancing to the knockout stages.

The She Cranes therefore cannot afford to be carried away by their big opening margins. Kenya and Malawi will provide a considerably tougher examination of whether Uganda can sustain its intensity, defensive discipline, shooting efficiency, and possession control. 

Uganda entered the championship with significant international experience, having faced some of the world’s strongest teams. Much of the squad that finished sixth at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has been retained for the Nairobi assignment.

Their place at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney is also already secured after Uganda finished among the top six teams in the World Netball Rankings on December 1, 2025. 

The She Cranes remain sixth in the world and second among African countries behind fifth-ranked South Africa. That means Uganda are not competing for either of the two World Cup places available through the Nairobi qualifier. Instead, their focus is firmly on challenging for African supremacy while using the championship to build towards Sydney next year.

Standing in their way is defending champion South Africa. The SPAR Proteas opened their title defence with a 90-22 victory over Tanzania and, like Uganda, have already secured their place at the 2027 World Cup through the world rankings. 

The Africa Netball Cup runs from September 19 to 26 at Kasarani, with the leading teams advancing from the pool phase to the semifinals and the championship decider scheduled for September 26. 

She Cranes’ path to the crown will now demand consistency rather than another isolated big win. Kenya is next, Malawi follows, and Uganda must maintain the defensive discipline, shooting efficiency and court control that have carried them through their opening two matches.

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