Netball World Cup organisers relying on South Africans to show support

One of the biggest sports events to hit South African shores in decades will start in Cape Town at the end of July, but are we ready to host the Netball World Cup?

That’s not to ask whether the organisers will be ready. The LOC, under the watchful eye of global body World Netball, will no doubt have everything in place and ready to go at the International Convention Centre where the matches will be played.

The question is whether we, as a country, are ready to welcome players, officials, netball fans and media from around the world?

With 16 teams set to turn out in the Mother City, along with full contingents following them, it’s a key event on Cape Town’s calendar.

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Having already hosted the T20 Women’s World Cup cricket tournament earlier this year – a tremendous success which saw the Proteas reaching the final with a historic performance – the City of Cape Town and its people have shown they are able to host major global events.

But if South Africa is to hold a successful Netball World Cup, there needs to be a national wave of support, as there was during the T20 cricket spectacle.

While SA has hosted just about every major international sporting event since readmission in the early Nineties, the last 13 years has seen the nation backing off from consistent bids.

World Cups

Aside from the Women’s T20 World Cup, the country has hosted no other major global sports events since the Fifa World Cup in 2010, and having the Netball World Cup in the same year is a fantastic opportunity for Cape Town to further establish itself as an international sporting hub.

Being held in Africa for the first time, the netball showpiece is also another opportunity to showcase the continent’s ability to host top-flight sports events.

Since last month’s celebrations with just 100 days to go, the Proteas squad for the tournament has been announced and the winners’ trophy has arrived in the country, so it’s all systems go.

In order for the tournament to be reflected well across the world, however, we’re going to have to be ready to welcome the globe, and this starts with all of us.

In 2010, the country waved the flag with pride, showing the football fraternity how much we backed the Fifa World Cup.

And though it’s not the world’s biggest tournament, the Netball World Cup also needs the whole nation to stand up and show support.

The Proteas will be eager to put up a fight, and getting behind the SA team will make a huge difference in terms of the event’s success.

Come on, South Africa, it’s our World Cup. Let’s go!