The countdown has begun for South Africa to find out whether its bid to host the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in 2023 has been successful.

The bid evaluation committee (BEC) established by the International Netball Federation (INF) a year ago is expected to announce the host nation late March or early April.

The final two nations vying to host the most important event on the netball calendar are SA and New Zealand after bid presentations made in Singapore late last year.

The INF cannot ignore the fact that netball is on the rise in Africa and that the African continent has never hosted the Netball World Cup.

Although New Zealand has hosted three previous tournaments, 2023 is the centenary year of netball in New Zealand, making the bid process competitive.

Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane believes that hosting the World Cup is central to NSA's long-term strategy to develop the sport.

"Hosting the World Cup would enable us to attract new sponsors, allowing for a strong financial future for NSA and netball in South Africa," Molokwane said at a media briefing in Johannesburg yesterday.

"It would enable NSA to develop a fully professional structure, allowing players to pursue a career in netball, and would provide a platform for netball and women to receive the same level of exposure as men's sports."

Cape Town, which was recently voted the world's leading festival and event destination at the World Travel Awards, was the perfect choice according to Leonora Desouza-Zilwa, events manager in the City of Cape Town.