International hockey is returning to the Northern Territory for the first time in eight years, with the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras taking on the New Zealand Black Sticks and re-igniting a longstanding rivalry down under.
Proudly sponsored by the Northern Territory Government, through the Northern Territory Major Events Company, Darwin was proudly unveiled as the host of the 2025 Oceania Cup on the oceanfront in the Northern Territory capital this morning.
The event will showcase exhilarating international action as the men’s and women’s national teams from both nations battle it out in a best-of-three Test match series from 4 – 7 September.
Other Pacific teams and development teams will also be invited to compete to expand the event even further, turning it into a spectacle of hockey for audiences in the Territory.
Australia will be out to defend their crown after they won the 2023 edition in Whangarei, New Zealand to claim the title and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This time, a spot at the prestigious 2026 World Cup is on the line for the Hockeyroos and the Kiwis, after the Kookaburras qualified this year by winning the 2023/24 FIH Pro League.
“It’s really exciting. I remember when we had our pre-Tokyo Olympics training camp with the Hockeyroos squad in 2016 and it’ll be really nice to get back to Darwin,” Mariah said.
“New Zealand will definitely come out firing and I know we will as well. We’ll have had a good lead up playing in the FIH Pro League and we have fire burning in our belly after the Olympic Games in Paris, we’re going to come out and give everything we’ve got.”
The news holds extra significance for Territory-raised Kookaburra Jeremy Hayward, who will be returning to the region as a hometown hero for the Cup.
“It’ll be special playing at home in front of family and friends for sure,” Jeremy said.
“But I think it’s even more important to showcase international hockey in front of Darwin and the hockey community there. It’s obviously been starved of high-level hockey for a while and being able to show the hockey community and bring some hockey back there and inspire kids is an important part of it for us.
“We headbutt with New Zealand that’s for sure but it’s going to be home advantage for us in Darwin because the weather is going to suit us and that’s an exciting part of it.”
Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles is thrilled to be bringing international hockey back to the Northern Territory.
“This is a momentous occasion for our sport as we bring Australia’s best to beautiful Darwin. The Northern Territory has produced some of the sport’s greatest athletes throughout its rich history and I’m excited to see this classic rivalry play out across three days.
“I would sincerely like to thank the Northern Territory Government for their support in hosting what is a huge event on the hockey calendar. I encourage local and interstate fans to head north in September next year to witness our top athletes in action with a spot at the prestigious World Cup in 2026 on the line.”
Minister for People, Sport and Culture in the Northern Territory, Hon Jinson Charls MLA said:
“We are so excited to be bringing international hockey back to the Northern Territory for the first time in eight years, we want to make sure Territorians can see their heroes in action and showcase to the rest of Australia our world-class facilities.
“Hockey is one of Australia’s standout exports, with talented representatives from Darwin to Alice Springs. We’ve proudly produced both Hockeyroos and Kookaburra players and remain committed to investing in hockey and all sports across the Territory, ensuring our athletes have the support they need to reach their full potential”.
The Northern Territory has hosted several international Tests, with the last played in April 2016, before the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras finalised preparations for the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympics in Darwin.
Some of Australian hockey’s greatest talent started their journeys in the NT including, the power duo of Hayward and Brooke Peris and Kookaburras striker Tom Wickham who was born in Alice Springs, all three starred for the Australian national teams at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Before them Joel Carroll and Donna-Lee Patrick represented Australia and 28 years ago, Nova Peris became the first Aboriginal to win an Olympic gold medal with the victorious Hockeyroos in Atlanta 1996.
All matches will be played 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 Government through the Northern Territory Major Events Company. Tickets to the Oceania Cup will go on sale in 2025.
