New Zealand were crowned 2026 Commonwealth Games champions after defeating Jamaica 56-48, securing their first Commonwealth Games title since 2010 and completing an unbeaten tournament whilst denying the Sunshine Girls a first major international title.
In a hard-fought final, New Zealand produced another composed performance to deny Jamaica a historic first gold medal. The Silver Ferns edged a high-quality contest from start to finish, with Grace Nweke leading the attack alongside Georgia Heffernan, while Kelly Jackson’s defensive impact proved decisive as New Zealand broke the game open late in the third quarter before pulling clear in the final 15 minutes.
Embed from Getty ImagesMatch Recap
New Zealand made the stronger start, taking a 16-13 lead at the first break after Nweke converted all 14 of her attempts, with Heffernan adding 2 from 2. Jamaica remained within touching distance thanks to Romelda Aiken-George, who shot 9 from 10, and Shanice Beckford, who was perfect with 4 from 4. It was Shamera Sterling-Humphrey who pulled in the only intercept of the first half.
The second quarter was evenly contested at 12-12, leaving the Silver Ferns 28-25 ahead at half-time. Nweke continued her outstanding display, scoring 24 from 25 attempts, while Heffernan maintained a perfect record with four from four. Jamaica responded through Aiken-George (18/20) and Beckford (7/9), ensuring the final remained finely balanced.
Embed from Getty ImagesNew Zealand gradually tightened their grip after the interval, outscoring Jamaica 13-11 in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 41-36.
An early intercept by Jodi-Ann Ward in the second half helped level the game at 30-all, however, it was New Zealand who retained composure. The collective efforts of Kimiora Poi on the wing, 6 assists and no turnovers and Kelly Jackson, who took 2 decisive intercepts just when Jamaica were building momentum, pushed out to the largest margin of the game, 41-36 at the final break.
The decisive moment came in the closing stages of the third quarter when Kelly Jackson produced a series of crucial interceptions, allowing New Zealand to create the breathing room they had been searching for. The Silver Ferns capitalised on those defensive gains and carried the momentum into the final quarter to seal a deserved 56-48 victory.
Nweke finished with 48 goals from 54 attempts (89%), while Heffernan contributed 8 from 9 as New Zealand shot 56 from 63 (89%). Jamaica matched that shooting efficiency, with Aiken-George scoring 32 from 36 (89%) and Beckford adding 16 from 18 (89%) for a team total of 48 from 54 (89%).
Embed from Getty ImagesAlthough Jamaica matched New Zealand for long periods, the Silver Ferns capitalised on key defensive moments and maintained control during the closing stages to pull away and secure an eight-goal victory.
The victory ends New Zealand’s 16-year wait for Commonwealth Games gold and caps an unbeaten campaign, while Jamaica leave Glasgow with the silver medal after another impressive tournament.
Embed from Getty ImagesFinal Placing:
1st – New Zealand
2nd – Jamaica
3rd – Australia
4th – England
5th – South Africa
6th – Uganda
7th – Malawi
8th – Scotland
9th – Tonga
10th – Wales
11th – Northern Ireland
12th – Trinidad & Tobago
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