For the first time ever, the dynamic Indian sport of Kabaddi is making its Australian debut in Melbourne. Tickets for the Pro Kabaddi Melbourne Raid, a double-header event set to bring the thrill of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to Australian fans, will be available starting 12 November. The event will take place on 28 December 2024 at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena, following day three of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India.
Announced on 11 November by Premier Jacinta Allan alongside Minister for Tourism, Sport, and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos, Indian Consul General Dr. Sushil Kumar, and AFL icons Campbell Brown and Josh Kennedy, the event promises to fuse Australian and Indian sports culture in an unprecedented way.
The opening match will feature a team of Australian athletes, coached by former AFL star Campbell Brown and captained by ex-Sydney Swans great Josh Kennedy, taking on Indian Pro Kabaddi players. The main event will follow, with two star-studded PKL teams competing in an All Stars showdown that will let Australian sports fans experience the PKL’s blend of speed, strategy, and high-stakes action up close.
“Walking across the road from the Boxing Day Test to the first-ever Australian Pro Kabaddi match—you can’t get better than that,” said Premier Allan. “India’s number one and number two sports will be side-by-side in the sporting capital of the world.”
Since its launch in 2014, the Pro Kabaddi League has quickly become India’s second-most-watched sport, drawing nearly 300 million viewers annually. The sport pits two teams of seven against each other in high-speed 30-second raids, where players must tag opponents and return to their side without being captured. It’s a contest of agility, power, and team strategy.
“The Pro Kabaddi League has one of the fastest-growing fan bases around the globe,” said Minister Dimopoulos. “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.”
With Victoria being home to nearly 260,000 Indian-born residents and more than 370,000 residents of Indian ancestry, the event holds special significance in this multicultural state. Victoria has also emerged as Australia’s top destination for Indian visitors, drawing more than 187,000 Indian tourists who spent over $480 million in the state last year alone.
AFL fans are also eager to see their sports heroes embrace Kabaddi. “Kabaddi has such a long-standing history in India,” said Campbell Brown, who expressed his privilege to be part of the “magic”.
For Josh Kennedy, who will captain the Australian team, the energy surrounding Kabaddi is contagious and exciting.
Tickets for the Pro Kabaddi Melbourne Raid will be available via Ticketmaster, starting at $10 for children and $55 for adults. This match is part of a packed summer lineup that includes Indian folk singer Maithili Thakur’s first Australian concert on 1 December, Australia vs. India at the Boxing Day Test, and the Australian Open in January.
Mark your calendars for an unforgettable experience of sport and cultural exchange, celebrating Melbourne as a true meeting point of global excitement.
Read more: Hyderabad favourite David Warner is Tourism Australia Ambassador
