After the success of last year’s event, Sheffield’s Utilita Arena welcomed the highly anticipated Netball Super Cup last month, marking the second year of the competition.
The one-day tournament brought together all eight teams from the Netball Super League, attracting fans from across the country and marking the start of the 2026 netball season.
The Super Cup has once again placed Sheffield at the centre of the sport’s calendar while showcasing the city’s ability to stage large-scale national events with thousands of fans travelling to the city and national broadcast coverage hosted by Sky Sports.
After a day of fast-paced matches, it was Loughborough Lightning who lifted the trophy following a dramatic 18–17 win over Manchester Thunder in the final.
Lightning captain Nat Panagarry said: “I think we really wanted to use it as a way to prepare for the season.
“How we bring that intensity straightaway after the first whistle, and also how you play the super shot under pressure: that’s what that game is about.”
For Sheffield, hosting the Super Cup once again highlights the city’s growing reputation as a venue for major sporting events.
The Super Cup strengthens Sheffield’s position as a host for elite competitions and could help attract more major sporting tournaments to the city in the future while helping to elevate netballs national profile as a growing sport.
Once again the format of each game was shortened and fan-friendly.
Teams were divided into two groups of four and played three seven-a-side matches in the group stage, each lasting just 14 minutes.
Panagarry explained that Lightning’s previous experience of the format helped the team approach the competition differently this time.
She hoped the momentum created by the Super Cup will continue into the season ahead:
“Sport’s all about that. How do you kind of ride the waves, take momentum? You’ve got to have that belief, you’ve got to trust each other and think we’re only at the start.’’
A key feature of the tournament was the return of the “super shot”, which allows teams to score two points for goals taken from a designated area within the shooting circle, adding an extra tactical dimension to the game.
‘’I think this competition just gives you a tiny little glimpse of it all and hoping that’s like a little bit of a teaser and a taster for it ready for the Super League.” she added.
Panagarry hopes the Super Cup in Sheffield showed what the competition can offer, with fans and players all relishing the experience at the arena.