Namibia’s Debmarine Desert Jewels have finished fourth at the Africa Netball Cup after going down 50–45 to Malawi in the third-place play-off on Saturday in Kenya.

Despite missing out on a bronze medal, head coach Julene Meyer said she was extremely proud of the team and highlighted the significant progress made since last year’s tournament. Namibia finished seventh at last year’s Africa Netball Cup in Malawi, making this year’s fourth-place finish a notable improvement for the Desert Jewels.

Malawi produced a strong performance in the bronze-medal play-off to secure a 50–45 victory and claim third place.

For Namibia, however, the tournament has provided further evidence of the team’s development on the continental stage.

The Desert Jewels also achieved one of the competition’s most important objectives by securing qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

Both Namibia and Malawi have booked their places at the global tournament following their performances at the Africa Netball Cup.

Meyer praised her players for their efforts throughout the competition, with the fourth-place finish representing a three-position improvement from Namibia’s previous continental campaign.

The Africa Netball Cup concludes with the final between South Africa and Uganda at 16:00 with the two sides competing for the continental title.

For the Desert Jewels, attention now turns towards preparations for Sydney 2027, with the team having secured its place among the world’s top netball nations.

The fourth-place finish gives Namibia a strong platform to build on as the country prepares for its next major international challenge.

From seventh to fourth and now Sydney awaits.

By Rudi Bowe