Mami Diale: Men’s Netball vital to driving gender equality and inclusion

The championships got underway on Sunday and will run until 9 October 2026 at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, with three-time defending champions Ekurhuleni A looking to retain their title.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Diale says the tournament is aimed at creating opportunities and giving hope to young boys who aspire to play netball.

“The Males Netball Tournament is highly significant to Netball South Africa. It is an event that speaks directly to gender equality, inclusion, and challenges the stereotype that netball is only for women. For us, this tournament is about development and growth - it gives hope to every young boy who aspires to play,” said Diale.

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Ekurhuleni A enter the competition as one of the dominant teams, having won the title three consecutive times in 2023, 2024 and 2025. However, Diale expects a fiercely contested tournament and believes the participating teams have brought their best to the championships.

“We have several talented and highly competitive teams in this year’s 2026 National Male Championships, and we have noted that Ekurhuleni has also brought in exciting new talent. The competition is intense, and we will only be able to confirm the champions when the final whistle blows. We support all teams and the display of talent,” added Diale.

With just two years to go before the inaugural Men’s Netball World Cup, Diale says she is encouraged by the growth of the men’s game across the continent and believes continued investment will be crucial to ensuring the Protea Warriors are competitive on the global stage.

“We understand that we need to work hard to ensure that brands buy into the National Protea Warriors. To further grow the game, we have rebranded the National Men’s Championships and introduced a new programme called the National Men’s Super Power Week - where local and African national teams will compete against each other. National teams such as USSA, SAPS, DCS, Eswatini and Namibia will participate in the Men’s Super Power Week. The more our national team plays, the more competitive they will be at international level.

“We have also ensured that the Protea Warriors form part of the SPAR Challenge. We will continue to invest in the Men’s team because it is an important part of our organisation. Africa is ready for the first Men’s Netball World Cup, and the Protea Warriors can’t wait to showcase their talent on an international platform.”