Australia were the ten-time back-to-back defending champions. The winners of the Cup earned an automatic place at the
2020 Olympic Games. The hosting announcement of the Rockhampton Hockey Association came as $5 million was being invested into the hockey centre to upgrade the facilities. In March 2019,
Stirling Hinchliffe,
MLA for
Sandgate and
Minister for Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs announced that the
Government of Queensland had invested $2.5 million into the Kalka Shades, the home of the Rockhampton Hockey Association. ==Teams==