Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Eswatini National Netball Association (ENNA) has taken a significant step toward enhancing the standard of local netball by confirming the inclusion of both the senior and under-20 women’s national teams in the prestigious Swaziland Building Society (SBS) Elite Netball Leagues.
The move, announced this week, aims to strengthen domestic competition while offering national players consistent, high-level match exposure ahead of upcoming international tournaments.
In a bold and strategic decision, the senior women’s national team will compete as an invitational side in the Men’s SBS Elite League, while the under-20 national team will feature in the SBS Women’s Elite League. ENNA said this integration is designed to challenge players technically, tactically, and physically in order to elevate their performance to international standards.
“By competing in these elite leagues, our players will gain valuable experience that will sharpen their technical and tactical skills,” ENNA said in a statement. “This is a bold but necessary step as we continue to build stronger and more competitive teams.”
The association added that the initiative forms part of a broader long-term strategy to prepare players for major upcoming competitions, including the 2026 Africa World Cup Qualifiers, the 2027 Netball World Cup, and the Region 5 Youth Games, to be hosted in Mozambique (2026) and South Africa (2028).
The senior women’s national team is expected to make its highly anticipated debut this Saturday at Olympafrica, facing off against Phoenix at 2 p.m. The fixture is already being billed as a historic moment for Eswatini netball, and fans are being encouraged to turn out in large numbers to support the team.
Now in its seventh edition, the SBS Elite Netball League has become a cornerstone of Eswatini’s sporting calendar and a vital development platform for emerging talent. Launched in 2018 through a groundbreaking partnership between SBS and ENNA, the league has helped shape many of the country’s top players, fostering competitiveness and professional discipline within the sport.
ENNA extended its heartfelt appreciation to Swaziland Building Society for its “unwavering support and belief in Eswatini netball’s potential.” The association noted that the inclusion of the national teams in both leagues represents a natural evolution of their shared vision — to raise the sport’s profile and inspire future generations of athletes.
“This partnership continues to show what is possible when sport and corporate support work hand in hand,” ENNA added. “We are building a future where Eswatini netball can confidently compete at the highest levels.”
As both national sides prepare to test their abilities against the country’s best, their participation marks a defining moment in Eswatini’s sporting history — one that bridges the gap between domestic competition and international excellence, while reaffirming the nation’s growing stature in African netball.
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