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 underneath.
Proudly sponsored by the Northern Territory Authorities, by means 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 boys’s and girls’s nationwide groups from each nations battle it out in a best-of-three Check match collection from 4 – 7 September.
Different Pacific groups and improvement groups may also be invited to compete to broaden the occasion even additional, turning it right into a spectacle of hockey for audiences within the Territory.
Australia shall be out to defend their crown after they received the 2023 version in Whangarei, New Zealand to say 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 12 months by profitable the 2023/24 FIH Professional League.
“It’s actually thrilling. I keep in mind after 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’ll as properly. We’ll have had a superb lead up taking part in within the FIH Professional League and we’ve hearth burning in our stomach after the Olympic Video games in Paris, we’re going to come back out and provides the whole lot we’ve acquired.”
The information holds additional significance for Territory-raised Kookaburra Jeremy Hayward, who shall be returning to the area as a hometown hero for the Cup.
“It’ll be particular taking part in at residence in entrance of household and pals for certain,” Jeremy mentioned.
“However I feel it’s much more necessary to showcase worldwide hockey in entrance of Darwin and the hockey neighborhood there. It’s clearly been starved of high-level hockey for some time and being capable of present the hockey neighborhood and convey some hockey again there and encourage youngsters is an necessary a part of it for us.
“We headbutt with New Zealand that’s for certain nevertheless it’s going to be residence benefit for us in Darwin as a result of the climate goes to swimsuit 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.
“This can be a momentous event for our sport as we carry Australia’s greatest to lovely Darwin. The Northern Territory has produced among the sport’s best athletes all through its wealthy historical past and I’m excited to see this basic rivalry play out throughout three days.
“I might sincerely wish to thank the Northern Territory Authorities for his or her help in internet hosting what is a big occasion on the hockey calendar. I encourage native and interstate followers to move north in September subsequent 12 months to witness our high athletes in motion with a spot on the prestigious World Cup in 2026 on the road.”
Minister for Folks, 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 wish to be certain that Territorians can see their heroes in motion and showcase to the remainder of Australia our world-class services.
“Hockey is one in all Australia’s standout exports, with proficient 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, guaranteeing our athletes have the help they should attain their full potential”.
The Northern Territory has hosted a number of worldwide Assessments, 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 best expertise began their journeys within the NT together with, the ability 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 shall 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 means of the Northern Territory Main Occasions Firm. Tickets to the Oceania Cup will go on sale in 2025.