Netball nations from around the world are uniting at the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Final to call for players, participants, and fans in their home countries to support a global campaign named “Back the Bid: It’s Netball’s Time” and sign a global pledge of support for netball’s inclusion in the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.
World Netball (WN) and Netball Australia (NA) have been mobilising support for an Olympic bid and are looking to demonstrate with verifiable data just how strongly the bid is being supported across the globe.
To watch the campaign launch video, click here.
With more than 20 million netball participants playing in over 100 countries, WN believes it’s netball’s time to shine on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
WN CEO Fiona Harold said the push continues to drive forward netball’s global ambitions.
Harold said: “Alongside our new global events strategy, a top priority for World Netball right now is to strive for inclusion in the Olympic programme.
“With Brisbane hosting the 2032 Games I have a strong belief that netball has a once in a generation opportunity to capitalise on the market position and strength of netball in Australia.
“So, I urge the Netball Family to back the bid, because it’s netball’s time.”
Speaking at the Netball World Youth Cup 2025, where WN launched its global campaign, New Zealand U21 Captain, Amelia Walmsley said: “I definitely think netball should be included in the Olympics.
“It is an amazing sport, so fast paced, there is so much skill to it, and I don’t think the world appreciates it enough.
“If it gets to be in the Olympics, the exposure of the sport would just really heighten and it deserves that.
“We work so hard, so why not give us the opportunity to perform in a different space.”
Singapore U21 Co-Captain, Faithmaria Ifeoma Mckevin Lawrence, added: “It would mean the world to me if netball made the Olympics.
“We are not a sport to be overlooked.
“We put in the effort, and all our hard work and sacrifices is the same as every other sport so to be able to finally make it there in the Olympics would really mean a lot to me and every single netballer.”
NA Chair Liz Ellis AO said Australia has been actively campaigning for netball to be added to the Brisbane 2032 programme and that it needs the worldwide netball community to get behind the bid and amplify different voices.
“We soft launched the pledge in Australia and more than 25,000 supporters signed up in close to 48 hours.
“We are now close to 40,000 signatories and we want to use the voice of athletes who will be age appropriate for the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032 to help drive the next wave of support.
“It is these athletes and the upcoming stars of the future who we are building a pathway to becoming the first netball Olympians.
“It’s now time to take this global and if you are a fan or a lover of our game, I am directly asking you to please support us and sign up.
“Please take just one moment to sign the pledge and then share it with your own netball community and ask them to do the same.” To sign up to the pledge visit: https://bit.ly/4msPxu2
