 Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players . Its development , derived from early versions of basketball , began in England in the 1890s . By 1960 , international playing rules had been standardised for the game , and the International Federation of Netball and Women 's Basketball ( later renamed the International Netball Federation ( INF ) ) was formed . As of 2011 , the INF comprises more than 60 national teams organized into five global regions . 
