India to Host Junior Hockey World Cup; Set to Face Pakistan in Pool B

India is gearing up to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup from November 28 to December 10. The matches will be held in Chennai and Madurai. As the host nation, India has been placed in Pool B alongside rivals Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.

Hockey action (AP Photo)

The draw ceremony recently took place at the FIH headquarters. This year marks a significant change as the tournament expands to include 24 teams for the first time.

The composition of the other pools is as follows:

• Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, and Ireland
• Pool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, and China
• Pool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, and Namibia
• Pool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, and Austria
• Pool F: France, Australia, Korea, and Bangladesh

The draw ceremony saw the presence of key figures including FIH president Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India (HI) secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Director General RK Srivastava.

FIH chief Ikram stated, "It is a great pleasure for me to be here ahead of a milestone moment as we start the journey towards the first ever 24-team FIH Junior Hockey World Cup! It is a part of the FIH strategy to empower and engage the youth from all nations, including the emerging nations, and this event will be the first step towards doing that."

Bhola Nath added, "Today marks a landmark moment for the world of hockey as we witness the pool draw for the inaugural FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup, featuring 24 nations."

Germany are the current title holders, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.