SINGAPORE - The Namibian netball team have withdrawn from the upcoming Mission Foods Nations Cup due to funding issues.

Organisers will field a Singapore Invitational team in their place, comprising members of the national Open squad, top club players and one invited national player from Fiji, who is being flown in for the event.

Cyrus Medora, chief executive officer of Netball Singapore, said: "It is unfortunate that Namibia had to withdraw from the event. However, this is a great opportunity to display the depth of Singapore netball and give exposure to some of the younger and newer national squad players.

"We will also be without our National 21 & Under team players as they will be in Hong Kong at the same time competing in the Asian Youth Championship. It is a reflection of the depth of our national squad that we are able to put together a very credible team for the event."

The six-team tournament will take place at the OCBC Arena from Dec 13 to 19. Apart from the two Singapore sides, the other teams involved include Botswana, Chinese-Taipei, Northern Ireland and Papua New Guinea.