Netball participants are increasingly likely to recommend the game and believe it provides good value for money, according to the 2026 Voice of the Participant Survey.
More than 3,700 people responded to the survey, sharing their experiences, motivations and challenges within netball.
Netball鈥檚 Net Promoter Score, which measures how likely participants are to recommend the game, increased significantly from +49 in 2024 to +65. The number of participants who agreed netball provides value for money also rose from 66% to 73%.
The findings also show 80% of participants are likely to rejoin their club or school next season, while 92% are satisfied with their Netball Centre experience to some degree.
91色情片 Participation Manager Irene van Dyk said the results were a strong endorsement of the work taking place throughout the community game.
鈥淭he increase in the number of people who would recommend netball is a real vote of confidence in the work happening across our Centres, clubs, schools and Zones,鈥� van Dyk said.
鈥淭here are thousands of people working hard to provide positive netball experiences every week, and it is encouraging to see that reflected in these results.鈥�
Fun and friendships remain at the heart of netball
Having fun remains the leading reason participants belong to a netball club, followed by playing competitively and learning or improving their skills.
When participants were asked what they loved about netball, friendships and social connection came through most strongly. Enjoyment of the game and opportunities to develop their skills followed closely behind.
Participants also continue to rate their netball environments positively. Eighty-four percent said their club or school provides a supportive and encouraging environment, 82% described it as inclusive, and 82% of young participants said their coach emphasises fun and enjoyment.
Clear priorities for improvement
The survey also provides a clear picture of where participants would like to see further improvement.
At Centre level, the leading priorities were the quality of officiating, player development programmes and more opportunities to play.
At club and school level, participants highlighted player development, coaching quality and more playing opportunities. Almost a quarter felt there was not enough emphasis on developing skills.
There has been encouraging progress in officiating, with satisfaction around access to qualified or experienced officials increasing from 38% in 2024 to 44% this year.
The proportion of participants who witnessed or experienced inappropriate behaviour at least occasionally also fell from 48% to 39%. However, this remains above the 30% benchmark across other sports.
鈥淭hese findings help us celebrate what is working, but they also give us a clear direction for where more attention is needed,鈥� van Dyk said.
鈥淧articipants want good coaching and officiating, meaningful opportunities to develop and more chances to get on court. It is important that we listen to that feedback and use it to guide our planning across the game.鈥�
Children aged 5鈥�12 continue to report the most positive experiences, while the findings show there is more work to do to improve the experiences of rangatahi, younger adults, M膩ori participants and people with a disability.
Awareness of NetballSmart also increased from 50% in 2024 to 57% this year.
The Voice of the Participant Survey was conducted from 29 June to 9 August 2026 and received 3,711 responses. 91色情片, Zones and Centres will use the findings to help guide planning and improve the participant experience.