A sensational sports line-up

Hockeyroos' Georgina Morgan at the International Hockey Match. Bunbury, WA. Photo: Daniel Carson

The Australian Football League Grand Final and Spring Racing Carnival will be joined by some action-packed new additions to the sporting calendar in the latter half of 2016, providing locals and visitors with even more to shout about.

Australian Boomers Farewell SeriesHisense Arena will play host to the Australian Boomers basketball team, in a farewell series (12 and 14 July 2016) before they head to the Rio Olympics. Fans will get the chance to see who has made the final Boomers team for Rio – arguably the greatest team Australian basketball has ever assembled. The two-game series will showcase basketball at its best. Both games will be played against a team of USA college all-stars from the Pac-12 Conference, featuring a bevy of budding superstars from colleges around the state, led by NBA and college coach Mike Montgomery. #BoomersFarewell

International Champions CupThe eyes of the sporting world will be locked on Melbourne once more when Europe’s top football clubs take to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the International Champions Cup (23–29 July 2016). English Premier League title chance Tottenham Hotspur will join Italian giant Juventus and Spanish side Atletico Madrid in the tournament, which will feature hometown A-League champions Melbourne Victory for the first time.

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – Australia v JapanIn an exciting coup for Melbourne, the Caltex Socceroos will face rivals Japan in a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Docklands Stadium, Melbourne (11 October 2016). This will be the final stage of the qualification process and the winner will compete in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia – one of football’s biggest rivalries. Tickets for the match will be on sale on Thursday 7 July to members of the FFA Football Family and Monday 11 July for the general public. #GoSocceroos

Fast5 World SeriesNetball, one of Australia’s most loved team games, enters a new chapter when the Fast5 World Series (October 29-30 2016) arrives in Melbourne. The first chance for fans to witness netball’s newest format on Australian soil, Fast5 features dynamic rule changes including five players a side, shorter quarters, power plays and super shots. The action-packed two-day event will be be held at Melbourne’s Hisense Arena, with teams from Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, Malawi and South Africa. All teams will play six 24-minute games across the two-day series and each team will feature on both days of competition, with finals held on Sunday

Australian Motorcycle Grand PrixThe world’s best riders will return to Phillip Island, one hour and 45 minutes from Melbourne, for the 2016 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Circuit (21–23 October 2016). As they zip around the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, visitors can enjoy the adrenaline of the gravity-fighting racers against a backdrop of stunning ocean views. There are tickets to suit every budget, coach transfers available from Federation Square and multiple accommodation options around the Island.

World Cup of GolfThe 58th edition of the World Cup of Golf (24-27 November 2016) will be hosted at the Kingston Heath Golf Club, on the Melbourne Sandbelt. This year, the event returns to the popular two-man-team format, with competitors from 28 countries vying for the title. The World Cup of Golf has become the greatest global team event in the sport, with 17 World Golf Hall of Fame members on the winners list. Kingston Heath is one of Australia’s best golf courses and is consistently ranked among the top 50 courses in the world.

International Hockey Festival MelbourneThe world’s best hockey will land on Melbourne’s doorstep when the International Hockey Festival Melbourne (23–27 November 2016) arrives at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, located just outside the city centre, in Parkville.  The new festival of hockey will showcase Australia’s men and women’s hockey teams, enabling spectators to see both the world number one Australian Kookaburras and the world number three Hockeyroos. Both teams will battle it out against India, while the Kookaburras will also be up against Malaysia and New Zealand. The excitement will continue in the regional Victorian city of Bendigo (29-30 November 2016) when the Kookaburras take on India in two international test matches.