Last year we saw the rejuvenated Netball Super League go from 12 teams to 10, and introduce the game-changing super shot.
As the season commences on February 27, live on Your Site, teams have had the opportunity to capitalise on the signing window to strengthen their squad.
But after the NSL Super Cup, it is clear that this season there won't be any 'easy games' as the shakeup has uplifted the overall standard of netball on show.
We got a preview as to how the teams are shaping up as they all gathered in Sheffield for the Super Cup, which saw a repeat of last year's Grand Final, but this time with .
2026 squad: Gabby Coffey, Betsy Creak, Tami Fapohunda, Charli Fidler, Ruth Hughes, Izzy Kaye, Shelly Magee, Tiana Metuarau, Alanna Pullen, Kira Rothwell.
Incoming players: Tiana Metuaru (Central Pulse in ANZP - New Zealand's top domestic league), Kira Rothwell (London Mavericks), Izzy Kaye (Loughborough Lightning NXT Gen), Alanna Pullen (Team Bath NXT Gen), Charli Fidler (Mainland Tactix ANZP), Tami Fapohunda (Manchester Thunder).
The West Midlands team lost their captain, Gabby Marshall, who retired mid-season due to experiencing two concussions in one month, in addition to some earlier on in her career too.
They also lost Aliyah Zaranyika due to retirement and Sigi Burger, who missed out of the back end of the season due to injury and will play in the Malaysian Netball Super League this season.
Recent England debutant Jaz Brown has moved to Leeds Rhinos, while Jess Shaw moved away to Loughborough Lightning and Gabrielle Sinclair to Sunshine Coast, in the Suncorp Super Netball league.
While they only claimed five wins in the regular season last, they also earned just as many bonus points, which are awarded to the loser for finishing within five points of the winner.
However, this year Panthers also have a new coach in former Rose Sonia Mkoloma, who led the England U21's to bronze at the 2025 World Netball Youth Cup.
She leads a refreshed Panthers side with a relatively young but talented squad who still seemed to be finding their feet at the Super Cup but look to improve on their sixth-place finish from last season.
2026 squad: Victoria Booth, Ellen Withington, Khanyisa Chawane, Bethan Dyke, Alex Johnson, Niamh McCall, Leah Middleton, Jacqui Newton, Georgia Rowe, Philippa Yarranton.
Incoming players: Ella Bowen (Leeds Rhinos), Niamh McCall (formerly Strathclyde Sirens and Loughborough Lightning), Victoria Booth (Cardiff NXT Gen).
Despite winning just two games and finishing the regular season last in 2025, LexisNexis Dragons have kept confidence in their squad and kept the majority of their players, with just four moving elsewhere.
Celena Appleby-Prince, who stepped in after Leah Middleton's injury, will be returning to the Midlands to play for Loughborough Lightning's senior squad after originally playing on their NXT Gen squad.
Elle McDonald has returned to Australia, though it's unclear whether she has found a team yet down under, while Chelsea Beard has retired, and Beth Ecuyer-Dale has also left but it is also unclear what her next steps are.
After finishing the 2025 season at the bottom of the table, LexisNexis Dragons have some talented signings to enhance the team's performance and that certainly seemed to show at the Super Cup.
In Sheffield they pushed both London Pulse and Loughborough Lightning, coming painfully close to taking wins over both the top sides.
Head coach Regina Bloxham will be hoping to move closer to Dragons, one of the league's founding teams, making their second Grand Final in the coming seasons.
2026 Squad: Bella Bayliss, Jaz Brown, Cassie Howard, Harriet Jones, Niamh Kilgallen, Indya Masser, Joyce Mvula, Paige Reed, Sanmarie Visser, Yomi Wilson.
Incoming players: Bella Baylis (Loughborough Lightning), Jaz Brown (Birmingham Panthers), Niamh Kilgallen (Birmingham Panthers), Indiya Masser (Manchester Thunder), Paige Reed (Manchester Thunder), Sanmarie Viser (Adelaide Thunderbirds), Yomi Wilson (Manchester Thunder NXT Gen).
After finishing second-from-bottom last year, Leeds Rhinos have done a near complete shake-up of their squad bringing in some high-profile talent before impressing in the Super Cup on Saturday.
Both Ashleigh Dekker and Geva Mentor retired after the 2025 season, taking a bundle of experience along with them.
Former captain Bethany Brittain, Rosie Harris, Ella Bowen, who suffered a knee injury in June, and Future Rose Sophie Egbaran have also left, although it is unclear where they will play next.
While Jess Haynes will be playing down under in the Victorian Netball League for Casey Demons.
As one of the most exciting and unpredictable teams of the 2026 season, Rhinos asserted their intentions at the Super Cup where they beat four-time winners AO Manchester Thunder and pushed defending champions London Pulse to 12-13.
Despite being a near completely new lineup, the connections in the Rhinos side already appear to be firing and could pose a real threat to some of the 2025 season's top teams.
Their first game will be a real test as to how they stand up in a full game of netball, rather than the shortened version at the Super Cup, as they face Loughborough Lightning who have claimed the title three times since 2021.
2026 Squad: Emily Andrew, Jemma Donoghue, Amelia Hall, George Inger, Suzie Liverseidge, Izzi Phillips, Razia Quashie, Ellie Rattu, Emma Thacker, Jamie Golob (formerly van Wyk).
Incoming players: Jamie Golob (Gauteng Jaguars in the Telkom Netball League, South Africa's premier domestic competition), George Inger (Mavericks NXT Gen).
London Mavericks finished fourth last year and are confident their squad can succeed in making it into the top four again this year, as they make just two changes to their line up for the 2026 season.
Kira Rothwell left to move further north to play for a refreshed Birmingham Panthers side, while Chelsea Blackman also departs from Mavericks but it's unclear where she will play next.
The familiar face of George Inger is also returning to Mavericks having debuted for the club in 2016 and no matter where she moves to, she always ends up back at Mavericks.
However a top-four finish won't be the true goal, as Mavericks look eager to make their first Grand Final since 2015 where they lost 56-29 to Surrey Storm.
They also suffered multiple injury setbacks last season, so maintaining a healthy squad under Tamsin Greenway will be essential to the side's growth this year.
2026 Squad: Halimat Adio, Darcie Everitt, Zara Everitt, Funmi Fadoju, Sophie Kelly, Kamogelo Maseko, Tyler Orr, Alicia Scholes, Gracie Smith, Liv Tchine.
Incoming players: Kamogelo Maseko (Gauteng Jaguars - South Africa).
Unsurprisingly, London Pulse have remained almost unchanged after dominating the NSL last season, losing just two games in the regular season and winning the treble.
Nichole Breedt, who stood strong in WA, has left the squad but it is unclear what her next plans are.
Having swept up last season, London Pulse have become the hunted as each team looks to make their mark against the reigning champions.
They have already been challenged in the Super Cup with surprisingly narrow wins over Dragons and Rhinos and a loss to Loughborough Lightning in the final.
But after just a few weeks back together due to the international season Sam Bird, the Pulse head coach, remains confident that her side will carry their success into this season.
2026 Squad: Celena Appleby-Prince, Ella Clark, Beth Durant (formerly Cobden), Alice Harvey, Hannah Joseph, Berri Neil, Nat Panagarry, Jess Shaw, Shadine van der Merwe, Samantha Wallace-Joseph.
Incoming players: Jess Shaw (Birmingham Panthers) and Celina Appleby-Prince (ex-Lightning NXT Gen squad before stepping in for Cardiff Dragons mid-season).
The 2025 runners-up, Loughborough Lightning, also seem confident in keeping a mostly unchanged squad as they make just two changes heading into this season where they hope to take back the title.
That decision has already paid off after they went on to defeat London Pulse 18-17 at the Super Cup in what was a rematch of last year's Grand Final.
England's 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Jodie Gibson, retired at the end of last season having been a consistent face in the NSL since 2011.
Bella Baylis also left the East Midlands side after winning the league with Lightning in 2023 and 2024, she will now play up north for Leeds Rhinos.
As one of the league's most consistently successful teams in recent years, Lightning always have pressure on them to perform.
Their success has partly come from retaining many players throughout the years allowing them to build incredible player connections, however as one of the older squads in the league their reign could soon start to slip.
But if the Super Cup is anything to go by, that day hasn't come just yet.
2026 Squad: Eleanor Cardwell, Amy Carter, Sophie Fawns, Josie Huckle, Elia McCormick, Taylor McKevitt, Nat Metcalf, Lois Pearson, Emma Rayner, Nicola Smith.
Incoming players: Eleanor Cardwell (Melbourne Mavericks), Nat Metcalf (returning from maternity leave) and Sophie Fawns (New South Wales Swifts)
The 2022 champions finished third last season, and dominated their games over many of the teams but struggled to keep up with Pulse and Lightning.
South Africa's Ane Retief, who was an injury replacement, and the league's top goal shooter Elmere van der Berg both depart Thunder, with the former going to Nottingham Forest and the latter to Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Indiya Masser will also not return as she was on a temporary maternity cover contract for Natalie Metcalf, while Anya Williams will also move down to play for Nottingham Forest, as Paige Reed moves to Leeds Rhinos.
But after the Super Cup there's questions as to whether Thunder can live up to the dream of making, and winning, a home Grand Final as the season crescendo will take place at Manchester's Co-op Live.
They have some of the league's biggest stars as individuals, but with many of them having been away on international duty they have had very limited time to bond together ahead of the season's start.
Their first test could prove brutal if their Super Cup form continues as they travel down to London to play Pulse.
2026 squad: Iona Christian, Niamh Cooper, Rhea Dixon, Brie Grierson, Hannah Leighton, Tash Pavelin, Jayda Pechova, Ane Retief, Rolene Streutker, Anya Williams.
Incoming players: Ane Retief and Anya Williams (both Manchester Thunder).
Following their incredible debut season which saw them narrowly miss out on a spot in the top four, Nottingham Forest have also made minimal changes to their squad.
Freya Henshall who played as a goal shooter will move to represent Forest's NXT Gen squad for the upcoming season, while Uganda's Falidah Kadondi leaves the club with her next opportunity not yet known.
Last season they beat Lightning twice and Pulse once, the only team to do so, but they also suffered season-damaging defeats to Thunder, Mavericks, and Panthers.
But after their great start last year and impressive, yet unlucky, results in the Super Cup, there's still pressure for Forest to perform - something they are yet to truly experience.
Head coach, World Cup and Commonwealth Games winner, Chelsea Pitman, will be working towards the side putting out a consistently strong performance each week to avoid repeating some of those more disappointing losses.
Watch the Netball Super League live on Your Site this season, starting with champions London Pulse vs Manchester Thunder, live on Your Site Mix and Your Site+ from 7.25pm on Friday, February 27.
