Hummingbirds and Spurs renew rivalry in 2026 Elite Netball League title decider

Kingston Hummingbirds and Manchester Spurs square off again tonight in the Netball Jamaica/Red Stripe Flavour Elite Netball League grand final, one year after the Hummingbirds claimed the crown in the same fixture.

The Spurs will look to turn the tables on the side that beat them on the biggest stage last season. Throw-in is set for 7:30 p.m. at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC), with redemption and championship pressure framing a high-stakes encounter.

The Hummingbirds' path to the decider was far from flawless. Head coach Kerry Ann Brown said the squad had only "two weeks before the competition" to get match-ready once preparations began. They opened the campaign with a loss to Manchester Spurs, a setback Brown said proved galvanising.

"We went on and we won our last three games after that — and that gave us the push going into the finals. So, the ladies are ready and they're just waiting for the game," Brown said.

As reigning champions, the Hummingbirds carry added expectation, and Brown did not downplay what a final brings.

"There's always added pressure for any championship the moment you get to the final…we are just going to work, one game at a time, and just continue to communicate out there and just work hard, play hard, and just hope for the win at the end of the last whistle."

That opening defeat to the Spurs also sits fresh in the players' minds as they prepare for another meeting with the same opponents.

"It was not easy… going up against them in the final is definitely going to be a challenge, it's going to be a difficult one, but… the ladies are looking forward to that challenge and they're ready to take it on," Brown told the Jamaica Observer.

For Manchester Spurs, team manager Maureen Brown said camp work ahead of tonight's clash has centred on togetherness and mental toughness.

"The team preparation has been very good. The team has gelled and bonded together very well. The inclusion of Shanice Beckford has just given the team more confidence, and once we stay focused and disciplined we should overcome," Maureen said.

Maureen Brown also acknowledged nerves around facing the team that ended their title bid last year, particularly after the Spurs went through the prior season without a defeat until that final loss.

"Facing the team that defeated us last year brings a little anxiety — after not losing a game all season, going into the final, and then losing it."

She said the focus now is composure, converting centre passes, and capitalising on turnovers at the other end.

"So this time around we just need to stay calm, ensure every centre pass is scored, and try to even steal theirs and score as well — but we're expecting a tough and competitive match from the Kingston Hummingbirds," Maureen said.