The Black Sticks women will play in a "four nations" tournament in the last week of January.
Hockey New Zealand events and commercial operations manager Matthew Arnold confirmed the series when contacted for comment, but was vague about the details.
"Test match hockey is coming to Dunedin," he said, adding it was part of a wider international series.
The other three sides have not been confirmed yet. However, the Otago Daily Times understands the United States are close to being locked in and Korea are also looking likely.
Japan are another option, but if that falls through, a New Zealand A team may fill the gap.
It is understood Hockey New Zealand had hoped to stage a men’s tournament at the same time, but it did not work out.
The Black Sticks women hosted a Tri-Nations tournament in Cromwell in 2018, but last played in Dunedin in 2007.
It has been an even longer wait since the Black Sticks men’s side played in Dunedin.
You have to wind the clock back to 2001, and it had been 34 years before that.
Arnold said the Otago Hockey Association had done some sterling work to help attract international hockey back to the city and the Dunedin City Council had also been supportive.
"[The DCC] strategically places hockey as one of the key sports to focus on," Arnold said.
"And they’ve got a sort of an event strategy to bring more international events to the city."
Otago Hockey general manager Andy McLean said it had been a long time coming and he was thrilled for the community.
"We’re really excited to be hosting international hockey again," McLean said.
"It’ll mean a lot for the community to be able to watch some of the world’s best players right here in our own backyard in Dunedin.
"And we look forward to wrapping [events] around that so that our hockey community and our wider community can enjoy and make the most of the opportunity to have these inspirational athletes in town."
McLean said getting the men’s national team to Dunedin remained a very firm goal.
"It is certainly unfortunate that the break in international hockey in Dunedin coincided with their careers and the likes of Blair [Tarrant], Kane [Russell], Hugo [Inglis] and Nick Ross didn’t play a home test match, or haven’t played a home test.
"Obviously, some of those guys are getting nearer the end of their career than the start now, but there’s the next batch coming through with the Ward brothers, Malachi Buschl and Benji Culhane and others.
"So, yes, we would 100% love for the men to also return to Dunedin and we’ll certainly be looking at any and every opportunity for that to take place."
