2026 Netball Premiership early season start
- Dave Worsley
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Netball's ANZ Premiership season in 2026 will start a month earlier than usual to ease into the Commonwealth Games schedule.
The opening game has the Pulse kicking off the season at home against the Magic, Saturday 11 April in Wellington.
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The 2026 ANZ Premiership will once again feature two full rounds played across a 10-week season, comprising 30 round-robin matches before culminating in a two-game Finals Series in June.
Every match will now be played over the weekend — two on Saturday and one on Sunday — with all games broadcast live and free-to-air exclusively on TVNZ+ and TVNZ 2.
Defending champions the Tactix will not only be chasing back-to-back titles but will also christen a new home venue, taking to the court at Christchurch’s Parakiore Sports Centre for the first time in Round 6, when they host the Magic. Their remaining home fixtures will continue to be played at Wolfbrook Arena.
Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie said fans could expect another fiercely contested season, with every match carrying crucial importance.
“We saw the level of netball lift last season, with teams knowing that every pass and every point mattered. The added bonus for 2026 is that every New Zealander will be able to experience that intensity live and free-to-air on TVNZ,” she said.
“The rule innovations introduced this year brought a new energy to the game, and with strong viewing numbers and fantastic crowds, fans made it clear they loved what they saw. We can’t wait to see which players seize their moment in 2026.”
Each team will again host five home games during the regular season as they chase a coveted Finals Series berth and the chance to secure home advantage for the playoffs.
For the full draw go here