Let’s be honest, it hasn’t been a great start to the year. The news has been bleak and this is before we’ve had the electioneering begin. To survive the year ahead, we will all need things to look forward to. Of course for me and I assume readers of this newsletter, that relief will come in the form of women’s sports.

The good news is 2026 is a jam packed year. Not a month goes by without our women representing us on the world stage. So let me take you through the year ahead and give you the top line of what to watch out for.

First, a disclaimer: Assembling this list was HELL because why don’t people like to have full schedules on their websites? Why does women’s sport love a TBC? Why do you make a half announcement in a press release? Why only list games I can buy tickets to? All that is to say there is a very high chance for error here. So if you see one I honestly don’t want to know. The idea is to just point you toward the action. Please go find further details for what interests you!

January

Did you know the Black Sticks are playing in a World Cup this year? No? Neither! They honestly feel off my radar for me this year after they had been chopped from the Commonwealth Games. Their World Cup happens later in the year but to get prepared, they have a home series being played in Dunedin at the end of this month against USA and Japan. So let’s lock in whānau!

Who to watch out for: Grace O’Hanlon. She was the International Hockey Federations’ Goal Keeper of the year last year, after her heroics got us to the World Cup. Plus she’s a queer hockey player and that’s SO HOT RIGHT NOW.

February

You can watch cricket and snow sport in February because what are seasons anyway? At home, the White Ferns are hosting Zimbabwe in a series of One Day and T20 matches. The big one this month though is obviously the Winter Olympic Games. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won us our first ever gold at these games last time and will be back to add to her medal tally. So there really is some excitement in store for us on the slopes.

Who to watch out for: Alice Robinson. The Ski Racer is set to be a real contender at these games. This will be her third Olympic games having first represented us at just 16 years of age!

March

Both the Tall Ferns and Football Ferns are busy fighting for qualification at their respective World Cups. It’s a taller order (lol) for the basketballers ahead of the tournament in September. The White Ferns will be continuing their World Cup preparation by welcoming South Africa to our shores. They will be playing all over so you really don’t have an excuse not to catch a match.

Who to watch out for: CJ Bott came home to Wellington and was made the Phoenix captain. The Football Ferns will need her to bring that leadership now that veterans Ali Riley and Annalie Longo have hung up their boots.

April

The Pacific Four Series is likely to be played this month but shhhhhh we wouldn’t want the fans to know any of those details. It’s quite frankly ridiculous that I know more about tests scheduled for October than I do about this series but that’s New Zealand Rugby for you.

My digging has revealed that USA has a match scheduled against the Wallaroos on 17 April. The Wallaroos also have a TBC held for us this month too. So best guess is that Pacific Four is being played somewhere this month.

Who to watch out for: Whitney Hansen. This is her introduction to the Black Ferns as our new head coach, so what does our rugby look like under her guidance? Good news for Whit is that any potential hiccups can be blamed on the 15s players having no rugby, domestic or otherwise since the last World Cup. The bad news for Whit is most of her players have had no rugby, domestic or otherwise, since the last World Cup.

May/June

The White Ferns are the only ones I can find that have been confirmed as playing in May and June. They’ll be off to England to have their final hit out before the T20 World Cup begins. We are the defending champions so we need to get right behind our team. What will be interesting outside of our results is whether the energy around English women’s sports continues. It lifted the Rugby World Cup to a whole other level last year, so hopefully we see similar scenes for the cricket.

Who to watch out for: Sophie Devine retired from One Day cricket last year but has left the door open for the short format. If she turns out for this one, it will likely be her last though. So watch one of the greatest cricketers of all time while you still can!

July

The Commonwealth Game limps over the starting line at the end of this month. After struggling to find a host the truncated event won’t feature our sevens, hockey, squash, triathletes or several cyclist. Still, they’ll be much to get excited about. Zoe Hobbs and Erika Fairweather and Ellesse Andrews will all be setting the pace. While our pole vaulters will shoot to the sky.

Who to watch out for: Anna Grimaldi. The paralympian was heartbroken in 2024 to have just missed out on another long jump medal. Only to surprise and delight us all hours later by winning gold in her “third string” event, the 200m. She’s since switched her focus more exclusively onto the track so I can’t wait to see how that work pays off.

August

The White Sticks will be kicking off their World Cup campaign while back home, the Black Ferns have a test against Australia. This match will offer a better look at Whitney’s Black Ferns as it comes after Super Rugby Aupiki. Will she reward form like her predecessor? Or will she stick with developing the current cohort?

Who to watch out for: Whatever debutant busts on to the scene after Super Rugby Aupiki. I think there’s a potential spot for a new outside back and we need to be building depth at 9/10. Also, Georgia Ponsonby and Alana Bremner signed with the PWR before everyone else did so might not be back in time to be eligible for selection. Meaning another hooker and flanker could come through.

September

Hopefully, the Tall Ferns have managed to qualify for the World Cup. But otherwise, the month will belong to the Black Ferns. We are headed to South Africa to play a doubleheader with the All Blacks which means a chance for more scrum mauls, my dream! The new WXV format also has a home and away element this year. So given we have France at home in October, we must be lining up some other matches away this month.

Who to watch out for: Given the South Africa of it all, keep an eye on our starting front row. Is Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu able to build on last season and make the number 3 jersey her own?

October

France are touring and playing the Black Ferns but more importantly, the Rugby League World Cup kicks off. This tournament has the potential to totally disrupt the order of oval ball sport in our part of the world. 2016 made sevens the gold standard. 2022 gave New Zealand Rugby their shot. But this October, we will see rugby league make their most ambitious play.

Who to watch out for: Patricia (Petu) Maliepo. I always remember the below chat I had with her back in 2021. At that time, before the complaint, review and musical chairs of coaching that followed, Petu looked like she was going to be a potential World Cup 1st five for us at just 18 years old. She had been so impressive and like I highlighted in this chat with her, I loved the way she was breaking the mold for what the stern faced position can be.

Well, that didn’t come to pass but after seeing her make the switch to league last year, I saw that spark come back. I also saw the place kicking our Black Ferns need but I digress. I hope that she’s finally able to play in a World Cup and show us all how exceptional she can be.

November/December

Hopefully we are watching our Kiwi Fern in the Rugby League World Cup final at the beginning of November after having watched this current government being voted out (MANIFEST WITH ME!). These next two months we start hitting TBC territory cause women’s sport can’t do that type of detail this far out. The Sevens series WILL resume we just aren’t exactly sure which weekend.

Who to watch out for: Katelyn Vahaakolo and Braxton Sorensen-McGee. Do they keep get called up and do they grow within this team? It’s interesting positioning to keep an eye on as the clock ticks down to the next Olympic Games.

With you,
Alice