England thrash Tonga to boost semi-final hopes
England's netball team secured a record-breaking 94-32 victory over Tonga at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, in a must-win Pool A fixture as they battle for a semi-final spot. The scale of the win matters because goal average and goal difference could prove decisive in a tight three-way tie for the top two positions in the pool, and England's dominant performance has strengthened their standing ahead of a crucial final group game.
England raced to a 27-8 lead by the end of the first quarter and never let up, surpassing their previous Commonwealth Games record of 89 goals set against Sri Lanka in 2002. Goal shooter Eleanor Cardwell led the way with 54 goals from 60 attempts, while Sasha Glasgow, Ella Clark and Olivia Tchine added further scores. The result leaves England third in Pool A but level on points with South Africa and defending champions Australia, setting up a decisive clash with South Africa on Thursday at 21:00 BST, while Tonga's tournament debut ends in elimination.
- England beat Tonga 94-32, a Commonwealth Games record score
- Eleanor Cardwell scored 54 goals as England boosted goal difference
- England face South Africa Thursday in a decisive semi-final qualifier
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The Commonwealth Games is a major international sporting competition held every four years where athletes from former British Commonwealth nations compete against each other. Netball is a team sport similar to basketball, played primarily by women, in which players pass a ball and throw it through a hoop to score points.
England's netball team needed to win their match against Tonga to improve their chances of reaching the semi-finals at the 2026 Games in Glasgow. In pool competitions like this one, teams are divided into groups, and the top finishers advance. When teams finish with equal points, the margin by which they won or lost their matches can determine who progresses.
The match was particularly significant because England is competing alongside strong teams including defending champions Australia and South Africa. A large victory helps England's prospects in this tight contest, though they still have a final pool game against South Africa that could decide their semi-final fate.