Defending champions New Zealand and rivals Australia started their Netball World Cup campaign with comfortable victories on Friday. The Silver Ferns beat Trinidad and Tobago 76-27 in the opening game of the tournament, which is being held in Cape Town, South Africa.
The 2019 runners-up and 11-time winners Australia then romped to an 86-30 win over Zimbabwe. The tournament's 16th edition is the first to be hosted in Africa.
Grace Nweke scored a flawless 31 goals for New Zealand and Maia Wilson made 22 of 24 attempts, with Karin Burger named player of the match. Cara Koenen scored 29 of 30 for Australia while Sophie Garbin added 27 of 30 and Courtney Bruce was player of the match.
Wales play hosts South Africa later (17:00 BST) while Scotland takes on Malawi and England face Barbados (both 19:00 BST), with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.
Sixteen teams will take to the court in Cape Town on Friday, 28 July – but only one will be crowned winner of the netball World Cup 10 days later.
Here is everything you need to know about the tournament. What is the format of the Netball World Cup?
This is the 16th edition of the World Cup and ninth in its current format but it will be the first time an African nation has hosted the tournament. There are 16 teams in four pools – A to D – in the first group stage from 28 to 30 July and the top three sides from each will go through to Pools F and G.
The top three sides from Pools A and B will come together in Pool F and those from Pools C and D meet in Pool G, with teams carrying forward the results against the teams they faced in the first stage.
In the second pool stage, they will contest three further matches against teams they have yet to play. The top two teams from each pool advance to the semi-finals, while there will be classification matches for other nations. The final is at 17:00 BST on Sunday, 6 August at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Who are the favourites?
Australia ranked number one in the world, remains the dominant force in world netball and will go for a record-extending 12th title in Cape Town, having missed out on New Zealand four years ago.
The Diamonds went through a period of uncertainty with limited match play during the Covid-19 pandemic but victory at the Commonwealth Games last year proved they are still the team to beat.
