Hockey Australia statement regarding FIH Pro League seasons 6-8
Published Thu 09 Nov 2023
Hockey Australia (HA) advises the timeframe on a decision whether the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras will participate in seasons 6-8 of the FIH Pro League has been extended until 20 February 2024.
In the initial Agreement, HA was required to inform the FIH (International Hockley Federation) by 1 November 2023 of its participation in future editions of the global tournament.
HA has committed to Season 5 (2023/24) but not further after expressing concerns to the FIH regarding the current model of the FIH Pro League back in September.
The FIH has since set up an Executive Board Consultation Group to analyse potential changes and proposals related to elements of FIH Hockey Pro League. As such, the FIH has agreed to a later deadline on HA’s decision.
HA thanks FIH President Ikram and the FIH for this extension and their understanding of the significance and importance of this consideration and decision.
HA looks forward to continuing collaboration with the FIH and competing nations in regard to the future structure of the FIH Pro League.
About the FIH Pro League
The FIH Pro League is the global hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The League in its current format was first launched in 2019 and features hockey’s best national men’s and women’s hockey teams from across the world. Changes were made from the 2022-23 season, which sees matches now played in “mini-tournaments” where several teams gather in the one venue to play two matches against each other. The team with the highest number of points at the end of the League is crowned Champion, while the team that finishes last is relegated and replaced by the winner of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup. The FIH Pro League brings added value to the player pathway as an incentive for growth, an outlet to celebrate and build the profiles of our national heroes, and opportunities to boost commercial appeal and audiences through media, broadcast and other channels. More information about the FIH Pro League is here.
