Green Hawks Make Historic Netball Debut Despite Defeat To Scotland

Nigeria’s newly formed national netball team, the Green Hawks, marked a significant milestone with their first-ever international match despite suffering a 74-22 defeat to hosts Scotland in a friendly encounter in Glasgow.

The warm-up fixture, played on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, saw the experienced Scots underline their pedigree against a Nigerian side making its maiden appearance on the international stage.

Scotland, ranked among the world’s leading netball nations and preparing to host the Commonwealth Games, capitalised on years of preparation to secure a comfortable victory over the inexperienced Green Hawks, who have only recently been assembled.

Despite the heavy defeat, Nigeria’s coaching staff described the match as an important step in the country’s efforts to establish itself in international netball and begin climbing the global rankings.

Head coach Alison Akinrinlola said the scoreline did not accurately reflect her team’s performance, noting that the Green Hawks had only spent a short period training together before facing one of the world’s top sides.

“A 74-22 scoreline sounds one-sided, but it does not fully reflect what we saw on the court,” Akinrinlola said.

“We had only a few training sessions before taking on a top-10 team in the world that is preparing to compete at the Commonwealth Games on home soil. Considering the circumstances, the players performed admirably and showed encouraging signs for the future.”

The Nigerian delegation was led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Talent Development Committee and National Teams Lead of the Nigeria Netball Federation, Dr Tunde Adelakun. Also accompanying the team were former Jamaica national coach Connie Francis and team coordinator Dr Yinka Idowu.

The Green Hawks are made up entirely of Nigerian players based in the diaspora, many of whom compete in netball leagues across England and have represented various international youth teams.

Adelakun praised the players for their commitment and dedication throughout the build-up to the historic fixture.

“It was inspiring to witness the passion, discipline and commitment these players have shown, not only during the match but throughout the training camp,” he said.

“Their attitude demonstrates the enormous potential that exists within the Nigerian diaspora. With the right support and investment, these athletes can contribute significantly to Nigeria’s sporting success while helping to grow the game.”

The Green Hawks will return to action on Friday when they face Pakistan in another warm-up fixture during the Diaspora Multi-Sports Event in Hatfield.

Officials of the National Sports Commission, members of the Nigerian sporting community in the diaspora and other invited guests are expected to attend the event as Nigeria continues its drive to develop netball and strengthen its talent identification programme through the diaspora.