MELBOURNE, 11 November, 2024: Less than two months after returning from Delhi with a promise to bring Kabaddi to Victoria, Premier Jacinta Allan joined Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos, Indian Consul General Dr Sushil Kumar and AFL greats Campbell Brown and Josh Kennedy today announced the Pro Kabaddi Melbourne Raid will be held at John Cain Arena on 28 December this year.
After stumps on day three of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the MCG, fans will walk across the road and enjoy yet another iconic international event in the sporting capital.
The thrilling double header starts with a curtain-raiser, featuring a team of Australian athletes taking on an Indian team of Pro Kabaddi players.
Then the main event: a Pro Kabaddi All Stars game between two Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) teams, filled with Indian superstars.
Former Hawthorn and Gold Coast star Campbell Brown will coach the Australian side. Former Sydney Swans skipper Josh Kennedy will captain the team, which will include other AFL greats.
Tickets for the Pro Kabaddi Melbourne Raid go on sale from 12:00pm 12 November – with family friendly prices starting from $10 for children, while tickets for adults begin at $55.
Kabaddi – the second biggest sport in India behind cricket – is a fast-paced, high-intensity contact sport, featuring two teams of seven battling for points by ‘raiding’ the opponent’s side of the field.
The challenge lies in tagging as many defenders as possible within a 30-second raid. Played over 40 minutes, Kabaddi demands agility, strategy, and teamwork. It’s a thrilling sport to watch.
The Pro Kabaddi League launched in 2014 and has nearly 300 million viewers a year in India. Victoria is home to almost 260,000 Indian-born residents. More than 370,000 Victorians have Indian ancestry.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan said, “I am so proud to deliver on the promise I made in India to bring Kabaddi back home to Victoria.”
“Walking across the road from the Boxing Day Test to the first ever Australian Pro Kabaddi match – you can’t get better than that.”
“India’s number one and number two sports will be side-by-side in the sporting capital of the world.”
Victoria’s Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said, ” The Pro Kabaddi League has one of the fastest growing fan bases around the globe and we know people will flock to see this one-of-a-kind event – another major event keeping our state buzzing and boosting our local businesses and jobs.“As stated by Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements
“Victoria is the top destination for Indian visitors and it’s easy to see why – the Pro Kabaddi matches are part of a blockbuster summer of events, including Indian folk sensation Maithili Thakur at ALWAYS LIVE, Australia vs India at the Boxing Day Test, the Australian Open and the NGV’s Summer Exhibition.”
Australian team coach Campbell Brown said, “Kabaddi has such a long-standing history in India and it’s a privilege to be part of the magic here in Melbourne.”
Australian team captain Josh Kennedy said, “The energy surrounding Kabaddi is contagious and I’m exited to be representing our country on the big stage. We’ll be training hard and look forward to challenging the PKL in Melbourne next month.”
