Manchester Thunder defeated defending champions London Pulse to win the 2026 Netball Super League Grand Final on Saturday. The victory at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena ends a four-year championship drought for the Thunder and stops Pulse from securing consecutive titles.
Thunder entered the matchup with established momentum. They finished at the top of the regular season table and previously beat Pulse in the major semi-final. Capitalizing on their home-court advantage in Manchester, Thunder outpaced the 2025 champions to secure the trophy. The win marks Thunder’s first NSL title since their unbeaten campaign in 2022.
Pulse earned their spot in the championship match following a 60-56 preliminary final victory over Loughborough Lightning, according to Sky Sports. That preliminary win featured a standout performance from Sophie Kelly and officially snapped Lightning’s five-year streak of Grand Final appearances.
The Grand Final victory holds historical weight for the Thunder organization. It secures Karen Greig her third championship during her 10-year tenure as the team’s director and CEO. Pulse, who captured their maiden title in 2025, ultimately fell short of back-to-back championships as the season concluded.