Australia’s FIH Pro League Host Venues Locked-in
Hockey Australia (HA) has today announced three of four host venues for the inaugural FIH Pro League to commence in January 2019.
Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney will host the world’s nine best men’s and women’s teams on a home-and-away basis.
All Australian home matches will be played in February and March, before the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras travel abroad, with the finals series due to be played in June.
HA Chief Executive Matt Favier said: “We’re delighted to confirm the three Australian host venues for the inaugural edition of the FIH Pro League where the best in the world meet off in an exciting league format.
“There will be plenty on the line in every match and we expect the FIH Pro League concept to garner great support around the country, which is why we’re spreading our fixtures out around Australia.
Australia’s FIH Pro League campaign will commence at Melbourne’s State Netball and Hockey Centre where the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras will take on the Netherlands on Saturday 2 February, followed by Belgium.
Hockey Victoria CEO Andrew Skillern said: “We’re delighted that Melbourne will play host to arguably the world’s number one Hockey nation the Netherlands in Round One of the inaugural FIH Pro League.
Hobart’s Tasmanian Hockey Centre will host the next round of fixtures on Saturday-Sunday 9-10 February with the Hockeyroos against China and Germany and the Kookaburras to meet Pakistan and Germany.
Hockey Tasmania chair Ken Read said: “This is a big coup for Tasmania. We will see the best Tasmanians playing for Australia. It will lift the profile of the sport here and give our youth access to role models.”
Sydney’s Olympic Park Hockey Centre will host the remaining three home matches, with the Hockeyroos to play USA and the Kookaburras to meet Spain on Saturday 2 March.
Australia will play Argentina and New Zealand in both genders in Sydney on Saturday-Sunday 16-17 March, before the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras head overseas for their remaining eight matches.
Hockey NSW CEO David Thompson said: “It is very exciting to be hosting some of the world’s best hockey players here at Sydney Olympic Park next year. It will be an amazing opportunity for the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos to play in front of a packed-out home crowd and in a prime-time television spot.
“FIH Pro League will be the perfect curtain raiser for the 2019 hockey season and a great way to attract more young players to our sport. I’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Destination NSW for their assistance with getting this major international event to Sydney.”
FOX SPORTS, exclusively on Foxtel, will broadcast all 16 matches hosted by Australia’s Kookaburras (men) and Hockeyroos (women) as part of the game-changing FIH Pro League.
2019 FIH Pro League – Australia Home Fixtures:
Saturday 2 February – Kookaburras v Netherlands; Hockeyroos v Netherlands – State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Sunday 3 February – Kookaburras v Belgium; Hockeyroos v Belgium – State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Saturday 9 February – Kookaburras v Pakistan; Hockeyroos v China – Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart
Sunday 10 February – Kookaburras v Germany; Hockeyroos v Germany – Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart
Saturday 16 February – Kookaburras v Great Britain; Hockeyroos v Great Britain – TBC
Saturday 2 March – Kookaburras v Spain; Hockeyroos v USA – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
Saturday 16 March – Kookaburras v Argentina; Hockeyroos v Argentina – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
Sunday 17 March – Kookaburras v New Zealand; Hockeyroos v New Zealand – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
