Fast5 (originally called Fastnet) is a variation of netball featuring shortened games and goals worth multiple points. The new format was announced by the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) (now the International Netball Federation) in 2008, and was primarily developed for a new international competition, the Fast5 Netball World Series. The rules were revamped for 2012, with the variation being renamed Fast5.

Background

In 2008, the IFNA released the details of a new, faster format of netball, which eventually became known as "fastnet". The new format was developed for a new international netball competition, the World Netball Series. According to the IFNA, the new rules were ultimately designed to make games faster and more television-friendly, with the ultimate aim of raising the sport's profile and attracting more spectators and greater sponsorship. Previously, the new rules had been trialled by England junior and senior netball squads over a 12-month period. Some of the new rules were announced in December 2008, including six-minute playing quarters and power plays; others were announced in February 2009. The new format was quickly compared to Twenty20 cricket and rugby sevens.

Playing rules

Fast5 features modified rules that are outlined below. Outside of these, the standard rules of netball apply (see Netball rules).

Competitions

The main Fast5 competition is the Fast5 Netball World Series; presently, it is the only international competition based on the new format. It was first held in October 2009 and is contested on an annual basis between the top six national netball teams in the IFNA World Rankings. Regional fastnet competitions also emerged in 2009 in England. The Jamaica Netball Association announced plans for a domestic fastnet competition in their country starting in 2010. In the United Kingdom, the British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship was launched in 2017 and is fought by each of the teams that participate in the Netball Superleague, the elite domestic netball competition in the UK.