Wales netball side lose opening game to Uganda

What the report says

BBC News reported that Wales opened their Pool B netball campaign with a 59-50 defeat against Uganda on 25 July 2026, after losing control of the match in the third quarter. Wales had held a 31-28 lead at half-time, but Uganda took the next quarter 17-8 and then protected their advantage through the final period.

The result came in a closely matched fixture on paper: BBC said Uganda are sixth in the world rankings, one place above Wales. Georgia Rowe led the Welsh scoring with 30 goals, while Uganda’s Shadiah Nassanga and Mary Cholhok scored 27 and 23 goals respectively. Wales also had an injury concern late on, with centre Vicky Booth leaving the court in the final quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Wales captain Bethan Dykes told BBC News the team had intended to win but gave away too much possession during the decisive third quarter. She said Wales had gained defensive turnovers but had not been clinical enough in attack when Uganda adjusted.

The loss puts immediate pressure on Wales in the pool stage, where margins can be important for qualification and seeding in multi-team tournaments. BBC reported that Wales’ next match is against hosts Scotland on Sunday at 09:00 BST.