Hockey Victoria has confirmed the Melbourne Cobras will enter the national Hockey One League from the 2026 season, fielding both men’s and women’s teams and giving the state a second franchise in Australia’s top domestic competition.

Hockey Victoria chief executive Andrew Skillern said the franchise had been developed with two goals aligned to the organisation’s strategic plan: to accelerate growth of the sport in Victoria’s Indian community and to broaden commercial relationships in a way that can be reinvested back into hockey.

He said the Cobras model was designed to “significantly increase the growth of the game” while extending sponsorship and partnership structures beyond traditional approaches.

The licence award follows a formal expansion process run by Hockey One, which began with an invitation for expressions of interest in February 2024. Hockey One executive manager Sash Herceg said the Cobras bid met the league’s long-term growth settings, citing a mix of “high-performance intent, commercial potential and community connection” as key factors in the decision.

Hockey One board chair Steven Stewart said the outcome reflected confidence that the Cobras organisation, through Hockey Victoria, would add strength to the competition “on and off the field” when it joins from 2026.

Hockey Australia said the new franchise would support its broader objectives of lifting participation, strengthening infrastructure and expanding elite pathways. It described Hockey One as a key bridge between community hockey and the national stage, with the Cobras expected to provide more visible pathways for emerging athletes in Victoria.

A central theme of the Cobras’ pitch is community growth, particularly in Melbourne’s Indian subcontinental population. Hockey Australia noted participation in Victoria has been rising and said the last five newly established community hockey clubs in Melbourne were started by the subcontinent diaspora, pointing to increasing demand for representation and elite aspiration.

Consul-General of India in Melbourne Anish Rajan said the Cobras could add a sporting dimension to the wider Victoria–India relationship, particularly through people-to-people links. “Sport has a unique way of bringing communities together, and hockey already has deep roots for many Indian families,” Rajan said.

“The Cobras can become a new dimension of the Victoria–India connection, where participation pathways, community pride and high-performance opportunities sit side by side.”

The Cobras’ launch is also being supported by a major partnership with La Trobe University, which has joined Hockey Victoria as the franchise’s major sponsor. La Trobe vice-chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the arrangement was built on the university’s existing education and research links with India and would create opportunities for students and academics.

“This model connecting the Indian community in Australia and India through hockey will not only enable La Trobe to support Melbourne’s Indian community and their love of hockey, but provide education and research opportunities to our students and academics,” he said.

La Trobe Pro Vice-Chancellor, Health Innovation, and Dean of the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, Professor Russell Hoye, said the partnership would create structured placements for students, including 10 internships and work-integrated learning opportunities each year in areas such as sport management, sport and exercise science and sport media.

He said honours and masters projects with Hockey Victoria were planned, alongside data analytics support through the university’s Master of Sports Analytics program.

Hockey Victoria has also flagged a roster model intended to include a targeted number of players of Indian origin within a 25-player squad, combining Victorian talent with current, former and emerging Indian-linked players. The strategy taps into the sport’s history and following in India, where hockey remains one of the country’s most recognisable international sports, with eight Olympic medals.

Air India’s area manager for Australia and New Zealand, Bennet Stephens, said the franchise could complement existing ties between Victoria and India that already drive travel through family connections, education and community networks. “Sport adds another reason for people to connect,” Stephens said.

“A team like the Cobras can help build year-round engagement, with supporters travelling for matches, programs and events that link Melbourne with India’s hockey ecosystem.”

Hockey Victoria says the Cobras will include five elite Indian players across the men’s and women’s squads, a move designed to strengthen the on-field standard while building a direct link with one of the sport’s most passionate global fan bases. The Indian contingent is expected to feature a mix of current and former internationals and high-performing pathway athletes, giving the new franchise immediate credibility and adding a clear point of connection for Victoria’s large Indian diaspora.

Technology firm HCLTech has also partnered with Hockey Victoria alongside the Cobras launch, with plans to build a digital fan engagement platform featuring live match insights, interactive content and personalisation aimed at supporters in both Australia and India. HCLTech’s Karthik Kiran said the company would draw on its experience building digital sports platforms to support a more connected fan experience and help grow hockey engagement.

Regional Victoria has signalled interest in hosting the franchise as well. Mitchell Shire Council chief executive Mary Agostino said the council was enthusiastic about the prospect of providing a home base for the Cobras. “We would welcome the chance to provide a home for the Cobras and be part of a new chapter for hockey in Victoria,” she said.

“This is the kind of partnership that can deliver community sport programs, inspire young players, and bring economic activity through events, visitors and training opportunities across the shire.”

Hockey Victoria says those players will not be brought in as short-term “guest” names, but as part of a broader high-performance model that pairs international experience with local development. The Cobras are expected to use the Indian players as mentors within the squad, supporting younger Victorian athletes with professional standards, tactical knowledge, and match temperament, while also helping the club grow interest in India through storytelling, community engagement and stronger cultural ties around hockey.

Hockey Victoria and Hockey One said further details on the Cobras’ entry — including high-performance programs, matchday arrangements and membership information will be released closer to the 2026 season.

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