Worldwide hockey is returning to the Northern Territory for the primary time in eight years, with the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras taking over the New Zealand Black Sticks and re-igniting a longstanding rivalry down below.
Proudly sponsored by the Northern Territory Authorities, by way of the Northern Territory Main Occasions Firm, Darwin was proudly unveiled because the host of the 2025 Oceania Cup on the oceanfront within the Northern Territory capital this morning.
The occasion will showcase exhilarating worldwide motion as the lads’s and ladies’s nationwide groups from each nations battle it out in a best-of-three Take a look at match sequence from 4 – 7 September.
Different Pacific groups and growth groups may even be invited to compete to develop the occasion even additional, turning it right into a spectacle of hockey for audiences within the Territory.
Australia can be out to defend their crown after they gained the 2023 version in Whangarei, New Zealand to assert the title and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This time, a spot on the prestigious 2026 World Cup is on the road for the Hockeyroos and the Kiwis, after the Kookaburras certified this yr by profitable the 2023/24 FIH Professional League.
“It’s actually thrilling. I keep in mind once we had our pre-Tokyo Olympics coaching camp with the Hockeyroos squad in 2016 and it’ll be very nice to get again to Darwin,” Mariah mentioned.
“New Zealand will certainly come out firing and I do know we are going to as nicely. We’ll have had a very good lead up enjoying within the FIH Professional League and we’ve fireplace burning in our stomach after the Olympic Video games in Paris, we’re going to return out and provides every thing we’ve bought.”
The information holds further significance for Territory-raised Kookaburra Jeremy Hayward, who can be returning to the area as a hometown hero for the Cup.
“It’ll be particular enjoying at house in entrance of household and associates for positive,” Jeremy mentioned.
“However I believe it’s much more vital to showcase worldwide hockey in entrance of Darwin and the hockey group there. It’s clearly been starved of high-level hockey for some time and being capable of present the hockey group and produce some hockey again there and encourage children is an vital a part of it for us.
“We headbutt with New Zealand that’s for positive but it surely’s going to be house benefit for us in Darwin as a result of the climate goes to go well with us and that’s an thrilling a part of it.”
Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles is thrilled to be bringing worldwide hockey again to the Northern Territory.
“It is a momentous event for our sport as we carry Australia’s greatest to lovely Darwin. The Northern Territory has produced a few of the sport’s biggest athletes all through its wealthy historical past and I’m excited to see this basic rivalry play out throughout three days.
“I’d sincerely wish to thank the Northern Territory Authorities for his or her assist in internet hosting what is a big occasion on the hockey calendar. I encourage native and interstate followers to move north in September subsequent yr to witness our high athletes in motion with a spot on the prestigious World Cup in 2026 on the road.”
Minister for Individuals, Sport and Tradition within the Northern Territory, Hon Jinson Charls MLA mentioned:
“We’re so excited to be bringing worldwide hockey again to the Northern Territory for the primary time in eight years, we need to make sure that Territorians can see their heroes in motion and showcase to the remainder of Australia our world-class amenities.
“Hockey is one in every of Australia’s standout exports, with gifted representatives from Darwin to Alice Springs. We’ve proudly produced each Hockeyroos and Kookaburra gamers and stay dedicated to investing in hockey and all sports activities throughout the Territory, making certain our athletes have the assist they should attain their full potential”.
The Northern Territory has hosted a number of worldwide Exams, with the final performed in April 2016, earlier than the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras finalised preparations for the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympics in Darwin.
A few of Australian hockey’s biggest expertise began their journeys within the NT together with, the facility duo of Hayward and Brooke Peris and Kookaburras striker Tom Wickham who was born in Alice Springs, all three starred for the Australian nationwide groups on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Earlier than them Joel Carroll and Donna-Lee Patrick represented Australia and 28 years in the past, Nova Peris grew to become the primary Aboriginal to win an Olympic gold medal with the victorious Hockeyroos in Atlanta 1996.
All matches can be performed at MWT Hockey Centre, with all Hockeyroos and Kookaburras matches streamed LIVE and FREE on 7Plus.
The 2025 Oceania Cup, organised by the Oceania Hockey Federation, is proudly supported by the Northern Territory Authorities by way of the Northern Territory Main Occasions Firm. Tickets to the Oceania Cup will go on sale in 2025.
