Sixteen teams will take to court in Cape Town on Friday, 28 July – but only one will be crowned winner of the netball World Cup 10 days later.

What is the format of the Netball World Cup?

This is the 16th edition of the World Cup and ninth in its current format but it will be the first time an African nation has hosted the tournament.

There are 16 teams in four pools – A to D – in the first group stage from 28 to 30 July and the top three sides from each will go through to Pools F and G.

The top three sides from Pools A and B will come together in Pool F and those from Pools C and D meet in Pool G, with teams carrying forward the results against the teams they faced in the first stage.

In the second pool stage, they will contest three further matches against teams they have yet to play.

The top two teams from each pool advance to the semi-finals, while there will be classification matches for other nations.

The final is at 17:00 BST on Sunday, 6 August at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

How can I watch?

The BBC will show every match across TV, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from the second group stage on 31 July up to and including the final on 6 August, while Sky will have television rights for the opening weekend of Pool matches.

BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra will have selected live commentaries, including coverage of England’s Pool B matches against Malawi and Scotland on 29 and 30 July.

There will also be live text commentary of every England game on the BBC Sport website and app.

Who are the favourites?

Australia, ranked number one in the world, remain the dominant force in world netball and will go for a record-extending 12th title in Cape Town, having missed out to New Zealand four years ago.

The Diamonds went through a period of uncertainty with limited match play during the Covid-19 pandemic but victory at the Commonwealth Games last year proved they are still the team to beat.

Defending champions New Zealand will also likely be considered one of the favourites despite a new-look squad to the one that lifted the trophy in 2019.

Since winning Commonwealth gold in 2018, England, ranked third in the world, have posed a threat to the typically top netball nations but have still been unable to get over the line at a World Cup.

They have finished third six times, including at the last three tournaments, and have never reached the final but, with a talented squad they will be considered potential contenders.

Jamaica have never reached a World Cup final and have not medalled since 2007, finishing fifth in Liverpool in 2019, but are in the frame following a historic silver medal at last year’s Commonwealth Games.

South Africa finished a disappointing sixth at last year’s Commonwealth Games after a fourth-place finish four years ago but, bolstered by a home crowd, they could be considered a threat to the status quo.

What are England’s chances?

For several years England have been trying to assert themselves among the top netball nations and, having never reached a World Cup final, will hope this is the year they can cause a real upset.

They will open their campaign in Pool B against Barbados on Friday before playing Malawi then Scotland.

The Roses will expect to finish top of their pool and progress to Pool F, where they will meet the top three teams from Pool A which consists of Australia, Tonga, Zimbabwe, and Fiji.

They will likely feel they are in the more favourable side of the draw, with Australia the only team who could cause England problems.

Should both sides finish top of their initial pools, they will meet on Thursday, 3 August in what will be England’s first major test of the tournament.

But, providing they win all of their other matches, England would still reach the semi-finals even with a loss to the Diamonds. They could then face further stern opposition in the form of New Zealand, South Africa or Jamaica in the last four.

What are Wales and Scotland’s chances?

Joining England in Pool B are Scotland, who finished 11th at the 2019 World Cup, and under former Roses player Tamsin Greenway they will hope to progress to the second pool stage.

Ranked 10th in the world, the Thistles will hope they can better that result by taking some wins in the second pool phase and getting themselves in a top-10 classification match.

Wales, who missed out on qualification four years ago, are arguably in the tougher side of the draw with Commonwealth Games runners-up Jamaica and host nation South Africa joining them in Pool C along with Sri Lanka.

The Feathers will look to cause an upset but victory over Sri Lanka should see them through to Pool G, where they would meet the top three sides from Pool D.

With heavy hitters Jamaica, South Africa and New Zealand in the mix, ninth-ranked Wales will look to assert themselves elsewhere and put themselves in a strong position in the classification matches.