Netball Super League: Pulse and Lightning rivalry to be reignited at double header as 2026 fixtures revealed

London Pulse and Loughborough Lightning will renew their Netball Super League rivalry in the first of a series of double headers during the 2026 season.

Last year's Grand Finalists will meet in round three on Saturday, March 14 at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena following on from Birmingham Panthers against London Mavericks at the same venue.

Pulse claimed the Super League title last season with a 53-45 win over Lightning at The O2 in July.

The Netball Super Cup and Super Shot will also return next season as part of the new campaign.

Doubles headers will feature in rounds three, six, and 11 in March, April and May in Nottingham and Liverpool with two games played on the same day at the same venue to give fans a chance to watch two world-class games of elite domestic netball.

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Round Three - Saturday March 14, Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham

• Birmingham Panthers vs London Mavericks, 4pm
• Loughborough Lightning vs London Pulse, 6pm

Round Six - Saturday April 4, Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham

• Nottingham Forest Netball vs LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons, 3pm
• Loughborough Lightning vs Manchester Thunder, 5pm

Round 11 - Saturday May 9, M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

• LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons vs NIC Leeds Rhinos, 3.30pm
• Manchester Thunder vs London Pulse, 6pm

After their dominant season, Pulse have made just one change to their winning side, replacing Nichole Breedt in the circle with Kamogelo Maseko.

Having made her debut for South Africa five years ago aged 18, Maseko has since shown herself to be one of the nation's most reliable shooters.

Whereas Lightning will be eager to win the league for the fourth time in just five years, and have brought in Red Rose Jess Shaw at C/WA, and future Rose Celena Appleby-Prince.

Last season Shaw was a crucial player for Birmingham Panthers and showed herself to be one of the league's leading wing attacks, but she also brings a host of experience having made her NSL debut aged just 15 for Yorkshire Jets, and is now 28.

The selectors at Lightning also seemed keen to bring in young talent through Appleby-Prince, who started last season on the team's NXT Gen squad before moving to LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons as an injury replacement player.

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"Starting with a bang at the Netball Super Cup, we're giving fans an unmissable opportunity to see all their favourite NSL players in one place," Claire Nelson, managing director of the Netball Super League, said.

"Our formidable athletes will undoubtedly provide high-octane entertainment on court, and we'll continue to push the boundaries to provide the ultimate sport-tainment experience for fans beyond the court.

"As we relaunched the league last year, we saw a season that was biggest, better and bolder than ever as fans showed up for our sport like never before.

"But we're only just getting started."

Before the regular season starts, the Netball Super Cup will return on February 21 for its second year, though a venue is yet to be confirmed.

Also following the success of last season, the NSL has committed to continue hosting at least 50 per cent of its fixtures in major arenas across the country, including new venues: National Cycling Centre in Manchester and Essex Sports Arena.

The league will also be entering its second year of professionalisation after an increase of 61 per cent in broadcast views across the season and 45 per cent in average attendance across all club matches last season.

Although it is yet to be confirmed where the Grand Final will take place this year after a record breaking crowd of 9,800 fans attended the final last season at The O2 arena.