Malawi Queens have booked their World Cup ticket, but have been challenged to aim beyond qualification and push for greater success on the international stage.
NICO Group says the Queens should use their qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup as a springboard for greater success, with the company calling for continued investment and development of the team.
For NICO, Malawi’s qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup is not the end of the Queens’ journey but a sign that the team can achieve more with continued investment and development.
The Queens secured their place at the tournament in Sydney, Australia, after finishing third at the African Netball Cup in Nairobi, Kenya, returning home with both a bronze medal and a place among the world’s best teams.
NICO Group Head of Marketing and Customer Experience Taweni Gondwe-Xaba said the qualification shows that the investment and work surrounding the Queens is beginning to produce results.
“World Cup qualification shows that the work being done around this team is producing results,” Gondwe-Xaba said.
She said NICO is encouraged by the team’s development, particularly the combination of experienced players and younger talent, stronger technical structures and the players’ growing ability to handle pressure.
For NICO, however, qualification is only another step in a longer journey. Gondwe-Xaba said the company wants to see Malawi continue strengthening its international position and work towards the world’s top eight.
Captain Takondwa Lwazi has also called for preparations to begin immediately, saying the team still has weaknesses to address while the players need to adapt to the coach’s philosophy.
“For us to achieve our target next year, preparations have to start immediately. We know the task ahead of us next year and, so, we need to focus more on preparations,” Lwazi said.
Assistant coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa said the technical panel already has programmes in place for the players, including international matches designed to expose them to different styles and prepare them for the demands of the tournament.
The Netball Association of Malawi is pursuing test matches against countries including Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uganda, while government has also pledged support for the team’s preparations.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Jameson Ndalama said government has taken note of the Queens’ request for an official bus and is working towards completing the Griffin Sayenda Indoor Sports Complex, which would provide a training environment similar to international facilities.
With the World Cup ticket already secured, the focus now shifts from qualification to what Malawi can build from it, and NICO says the ambition should extend beyond simply making it to Sydney.
