Gibraltar names it’s squad for Netball Youth World Cup

With just three weeks remaining until the highly anticipated start of the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup, excitement is building as Gibraltar Netball officially announces its Under-21 squad. The young team will compete in Pool A, facing world-class opposition including New Zealand, Malaysia, the Cook Islands, and Zambia.
The Netball World Youth Cup represents the pinnacle of competition for emerging talent under the age of 21. For many athletes, it is the gateway to senior international careers, offering a platform to showcase their skills on a global stage. This year’s edition promises to be a landmark event, not only for the sport but also for the host nation, Gibraltar.
The tournament will be staged across two premier venues – the Tercentenary Sports Hall and the Europa Sports Park – both prepared to welcome the influx of international teams, officials, and fans. Taking place from 19–28 September, the competition will feature 20 teams from around the globe. Five nations secured automatic qualification, while the remaining 15 earned their places through rigorous Regional Qualifier events held throughout 2024.
The competition will be divided into four pools (A–D), each stacked with some of the world’s top-ranked sides. England, Australia, Fiji, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland are among the big names aiming to contend for the title, promising fans a series of high-stakes and high-quality matches.
The opening day of matches on Saturday, 20 September, is set to deliver immediate excitement. Gibraltar will launch its campaign against the Cook Islands, while defending champions New Zealand face Malaysia. Later that same morning, Samoa will meet Scotland, and Australia will go head-to-head with Northern Ireland, setting the tone for what is expected to be a fiercely contested tournament.
One of the most notable features of this year’s event is the wealth of talent being drawn from the Netball Super League (NSL) and NXT Gen League. A total of 31 players from these competitions will be representing their countries in Gibraltar. England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Jamaica are among the nations fielding players with top-level league experience, bringing an extra edge of professionalism and skill to the youth tournament.
England’s squad is particularly strong, featuring rising stars from the Vitality Roses and Future Roses programmes, alongside standout performers from the NSL and NXT Gen League throughout the 2025 season. England last competed in the tournament in 2017, when their Under-21s claimed a bronze medal. Their best results remain silver medals in 2005 and 1988, achievements they will look to surpass this year. England will begin their Pool B journey against Sri Lanka on 20 September, with Jamaica, Tonga, and Wales completing their group.
Elsewhere, Netball South Africa has named its under-21 national squad – the SPAR Baby Proteas – following an unbeaten campaign in the Africa World Youth Cup qualifiers and a dominant series against Jamaica’s Under-21 side. Selection was made after a comprehensive evaluation of players in tournaments including the Telkom Netball League (TNL), ensuring the squad represents the best young talent South Africa has to offer.
For Gibraltar, this tournament carries historic significance. Today, Wednesday, Gibraltar Netball will officially present their squad to the public during a special event attended by relatives, media, and supporters. After months of preparation – including intense training sessions, summer netball camps, and practice matches against visiting sides such as Herts University – head coach Janice Moreno and her team have finalised their selection.
This marks the first-ever, and possibly only, occasion that a Gibraltar team will compete in a Netball World Cup. As hosts, they qualified automatically, granting their players an unprecedented opportunity to measure themselves against the very best in the sport at Under-21 level.
Although Gibraltar did not participate in the qualifiers, their senior team currently ranks 27th in the world, placing them above both Malaysia and the Cook Islands – two of their Pool A opponents. New Zealand, the reigning champions, are ranked second globally behind Australia, while Zambia, also in Gibraltar’s group, holds 15th place in the world rankings.
For the players, coaches, and fans, the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup promises to be a momentous occasion – a celebration of skill, dedication, and the future stars of international netball.