Hockey Australia Welcomes Melbourne Cobras as Expansion Drives Participation and Infrastructure Growth in Victoria

Hockey Australia has welcomed the confirmation that the Melbourne Cobras have been awarded a Hockey One League licence and will enter the national competition from Season 2026, fielding both men’s and women’s teams.

The inclusion of the Cobras will have the opportunity to assist in Hockey Australia’s commitment to growing participation, strengthening infrastructure and expanding elite pathways across the country.

The decision follows the completion of Hockey One League’s formal Expansion Project, which commenced with an Invitation for Expressions of Interest (EOI) in February 2024. The structured process was designed to ensure any expansion aligns with the League’s long-term growth strategy and delivers sustainable, high-performance outcomes.

For Hockey Australia, the establishment of a second Victorian Hockey One franchise reflects the strong growth trajectory of the sport in Melbourne and across the state. Participation in Victoria continues to rise, particularly among communities of subcontinental heritage. In fact, the last five newly established community hockey clubs in Melbourne have been started by the subcontinent diaspora — a clear indicator of the increasing demand for representation, connection and elite aspiration within these communities.

The Melbourne Cobras will provide an important platform to engage the Indian diaspora in Australia while strengthening Victoria’s elite hockey pathway. The franchise has been publicly positioned as a bridge between Australia and India, creating opportunities for community connection and shared high-performance environments involving Australian and Indian player pathways.

This expansion builds on recent momentum and investment supporting the development of a second Victorian franchise, with the Cobras initiative linked to broader participation and infrastructure outcomes for hockey in the state. By creating additional aspirational opportunities at the Hockey One level, the Cobras will help drive grassroots engagement, club growth and facility utilisation across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Hockey Australia views Hockey One as a critical link between community hockey and the elite national stage, and the addition of the Melbourne Cobras strengthens the national competition while providing more visible and accessible pathways for emerging athletes.

Further details regarding the Melbourne Cobras’ entry in Season 2026 — including high-performance programs, matchday arrangements and membership information — will be released in due course.

Hockey Australia looks forward to working closely with Hockey Victoria to ensure the new franchise contributes to sustained participation growth, enhanced infrastructure development and the continued success of Australian hockey at all levels.