Commonwealth Games: Jayda Pechova steps up to senior England squad as Nat Metcalf and Fran Williams also named | Netball News

Jayda Pechova will make the England senior squad for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer, while Nat Metcalf and Fran Williams have also been called up.

Head coach Anna Stembridge has named a squad of 12 players, including 2018 Commonwealth champion Metcalf, and Williams will captain the team for the Glasgow event, which is scheduled from July 23 to August 2.

Pechova, 21, won the 2026 Netball Super League awards as she won all three, including Player of the Year.

He becomes the youngest member of the team and steps up to the senior division following an impressive campaign for Nottingham Forest.

Pechova scored a career-best 88 and 75 as Forest finished in the top four for the first time in club history.

Stembridge, who replaced Jess Thirlby in the rolesaid: “It is a great honor to be able to announce the athletes who will represent Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Every player who wears red understands the responsibility that comes with that opportunity, and the 12 athletes named today have all earned their place through their performance, dedication, and the standards they have shown.

“The competition within England netball is incredibly strong, and this squad shows the quality and depth we have across the system. We have a balance of players who bring valuable experience from previous major tournaments, as well as athletes who will be enjoying their first Commonwealth Games and are ready to embrace the opportunity.

“Each athlete brings different qualities to this team, and the strength of this team will come from how we combine those qualities and perform together. We are excited to continue our preparation and represent Team England at one of the biggest stages in our sport.”

Williams is one of six players from England’s silver medal-winning 2023 World Cup squad to take to the court this summer, with Liv Tchine also back and set to be vice-captain along with Amy Carter.

Goal-scorer Tchine is heading for her second major international tournament having won the London Pulse in the Netball Super League (NSL) and on the international stage since her debut in 2022.

China is joined in the attack by Eleanor Cardwell, who has been selected for her second Commonwealth Games after making her debut at Birmingham 2022.

Cardwell’s AO Manchester Thunder teammate Lois Pearson, meanwhile, is heading into her first major international competition.

The Bury-born striker made his international debut in 2024 after a dominant NSL season, in which he was named Player of the Season, and has continued to be a top player for club and country ever since.

England debutant Sasha Glasgow completes the team’s shooting options. Glasgow was born and raised in Australia to English parents and made his international debut in 2023.

In the middle of the field, Metcalf returns for his third game. The wing attack was part of the historic team that won gold at Gold Coast 2018, before captaining the England team at Birmingham 2022 and co-hosting the Vitality Roses to a silver medal at the 2023 Netball World Cup. Metcalf returned to the court this season following the birth of her daughter, Miller, last year.

He is joined by AO Manchester Thunder teammate Carter, who was a 2023 Netball World Cup destination and captained AO Thunder to a historic NSL title win last weekend.

Versatile full-back Imo Allison is also included in his second Commonwealth Games appearance, having established himself as one of the best players in the game at center and wing-back.

Jess Shaw completes the midfield, having impressed in recent domestic seasons with impressive displays throughout the action.
In defence, Williams is joined by Halimat Adio, Funmi Fadoju, and Pechova.

Adio is heading to his first Commonwealth Games after a strong season with London Pulse that saw him become a mainstay in England’s defence.

Fadoju stars alongside Adio for the London Pulse and will be hoping to do the same for Team England at Glasgow 2026.

England national team netball team

Self defense
Halimat Adio (28, London, London Pulse)
Francesca Williams (28, Reading, West Coast Fever)
Funmi Fadoju (23, Redbridge, London Pulse)
Jayda Pechova (21, Fleet, Nottingham Forest)

Midcourt
Imo Allison (28, Huddersfield, Queensland Firebirds)
Jess Shaw (30, Stockport, Loughborough Lightning)
Amy Carter (27, Nottingham, AO Manchester Thunder)
Nat Metcalf (33, Keighley, AO Manchester Thunder)

An attack
Sasha Glasgow (27, Moonta, Australia, West Coast Fever)
Liv Tchine (25, London, London Pulse)
Eleanor Cardwell (31, Blackpool, AO Manchester Thunder)
Lois Pearson (26, Bury, AO Manchester Thunder)

Vitality Roses; England’s biggest Netball team, currently ranked third in the world Netball rankings.

England star Housby has withdrawn that he will not play in the Commonwealth Games

England star Helen Housby will miss the Commonwealth Games due to injury.

In April it was revealed that Housby would miss an “extended period” of Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball season with a back injury, with further tests confirming she will not be able to compete this summer.

Housby, who famously scored England’s last-minute winner to win gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, says he is “gutted” to miss the Glasgow event.

Representing Team England is an honor and holds some of my proudest and happiest memories,” he said.

“Despite the disruption, I am more determined than before to come back stronger and return to the court as soon as possible, especially since the World Cup in Sydney is approaching.

“I’m lucky to be surrounded by an incredible support system and I’m so grateful for the love I’ve received from those closest to me, England Netball, the New South Wales Swifts and the Vitality Roses fans back home.

“I’m excited to see what our girls can achieve this summer and I’ll be giving everything I can off the court to support them in Glasgow. I truly believe our team can beat anyone and I’m looking forward to watching as a fan this time.”