Varsity Netball 2026 Opens at Coetzenburg as Maties Netball Marks Its Centenary

Source: Compiled from public reporting and university sport coverage · 4 September 2026

Varsity Netball’s 2026 season opened at Stellenbosch University’s Coetzenburg Centre on 23 and 24 August, with the University of Johannesburg upsetting host side Maties 46-39 before returning the next day to beat the newly promoted Central University of Technology 57-36.

Maties’ opening weekend also saw them lose narrowly to the University of the Free State (Kovsies), 49-43, on the second day. Elsewhere in round one, defending champions NWU Eagles beat Madibaz comfortably, while five-time champions Kovsies edged past UP-Tuks in a close contest.

The Stellenbosch opening weekend coincided with Maties Netball marking its centenary, adding extra weight to hosting the tournament’s launch on home turf, even with a mixed result on court.

Coetzenburg is a regular fixture on the Varsity Netball calendar, and this year’s opening rounds set an early pace for a season that runs across university campuses nationally through the coming months.