Netball Scotland to Host New Zealand Silver Ferns in Historic Two-Match Test Series in Scotland
It’s an exciting time for netball fans in Scotland as the Scottish Thistles announced this week that they will be hosting a two-match test series in November against the Silver Ferns, the current world number two side from New Zealand.
With netball set to feature in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the announcement is the first of many exciting international fixtures that Scottish netball fans will be treated to over the coming months. This highly anticipated series promises thrilling world-class netball and an unforgettable experience for fans, athletes, and the broader sporting community.
Speaking about the upcoming series against New Zealand, Thistles captain Emily Nicholl described the importance of having international games against top-ranked teams in Scotland:
“I know first-hand the impact these kinds of fixtures can have on inspiring the younger generation. The first ever international game of netball I watched was Scottish Thistles vs the Australian Diamonds held in East Kilbride in 2010. There and then I knew I wanted to be a Thistle. Women’s sport is the place to be right now, and the Thistles want to play our part in showing off how amazing our sport is as well as building the excitement among the Scottish fans ahead of a home Commonwealth Games. Fixtures like this are the perfect opportunity to do so.”
Taking place on the 9th and 11th November 2025 the series marks the first time international netball will be hosted at Playsport in East Kilbride, just outside Glasgow, . It will also be the first meeting between the two nations in over 10 years, since the build-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, when the Ferns also last played in Scotland.
Nicholl spoke about the excitement within the Thistles camp, and the opportunities that the series will give them ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games campaign:
“The Silver Ferns are a highly respected team within world netball [and] the Scottish Thistles thrive on a challenge, so to be given the opportunity to test ourselves against world number two will be hugely beneficial for us as we begin to ramp up our preparations for Glasgow 2026.”
She continued:
“As well as giving us a dress rehearsal of playing in front of a home crowd, the series will allow us to check on how we are tracking as a squad and give us some intel on the areas of our game that we want to continue to develop, as well as the chance to test different combinations and players.”
Emily Nicholl dropped back into the circle against England’s Liv Tchine. Image: Danny Dalton/Tah Dah
The news is a big win for Scottish netball fans, and they will be delighted to get the chance to see the Silver Ferns play the Thistles on home soil, especially since the loss of the nation’s only professional netball league side, the Strathclyde Sirens, at the end of the 2024 season. The club were saddened to announce their departure from the UK’s Netball Super League, and cited the fact that the “additional demands and costs for running a professional franchise were beyond our ability and resources at this time.”
Scotland, who are currently ranked 10th in the world, have built a solid squad which includes captain and star defender Emily Nicholl and an attacking end boasting shooters Niamh McCall and Emma Barrie, all of whom shone during their tenure with the Strathclyde Sirens and as part of a Thistles squad that saw Scotland challenge Samoa to finish second in the PacificAus series in Australia earlier this year.
Nicholl spoke about the experience the team gained from being part of that series with Samoa, Australian First Nation Black Swans, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
“PacAus was monumental for us as a playing group. To be able to practise back to back to back matches against teams from the Southern Hemisphere was invaluable. We blooded in new players, we played in high pressure moments and we now know where our development areas are against that style of play.”
When asked about how she prepared her game as a defender to take on a side like the Silver Ferns, Nichol said:
“One of the best bits of being a defender is working out what your opponent likes to do and then coming up with a plan on how you are going to stop them from playing their way. The Thistles will be bringing their usual hustle and relentless work rate, but we’ll definitely be looking at how we can continue to add to our tool kit so that we can stifle the Ferns attacking end.”
Kath Tetley, head coach of the Scottish Thistles, shared her excitement about the series:
“I am thrilled that the Thistles will be hosting a star-studded Silver Ferns squad in Glasgow this November – it will be an incredible preparation opportunity for our 2026 international season. We will be ready for the challenge and we can’t wait to have a Thistles Army of supporters packed into the venue and getting around us.”
The Silver Ferns will travel to the UK to take on England and Scotland. Image: Clinton Bradbury/Bradbury Photography
There has been much speculation about the Silver Ferns squad for their 2025 international campaign with the recent announcement that captain and starting goal attack Ameliaranne Ekenasio will be taking a break from the international game for the rest of 2025, making herself unavailable for selection, whilst there is a question mark over whether star Goal Shooter Grace Nweke will be eligible for selection after her season with the NSW Swifts in Australia.
New Zealand Silver Ferns Head Coach, Dame Noeline Taurua, also commented:
“I’m absolutely thrilled about the opportunity to head north for this series in November. Scotland holds a special place in my heart, having completed my Masters of Sport Coaching at the University of Stirling, so it will be incredibly special to return there with the Silver Ferns. These additional fixtures are a vital part of our preparation as we build towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.”
The matches will take place at the cutting-edge Playsport facility, which is set to host international netball for the very first time. New Zealand will continue their tour of the United Kingdom with test matches against England in late November.
