Junior Hockey World Cup: India to Host, Blockbuster India-Pakistan Match in Pool B

India is gearing up to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai. The Indian team finds itself in Pool B, which also includes Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland, promising a thrilling contest.

Hockey action shot.

The draw ceremony, a landmark event as it's the first time the tournament will showcase 24 teams, was held at the FIH headquarters.

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.

Key figures such as FIH President Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India (HI) Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Director General RK Srivastava attended the draw ceremony.

FIH President 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." He also highlighted the opportunity to enhance hockey infrastructure, including the introduction of a new state-of-the-art hockey stadium in Madurai.

Germany enters the tournament as the defending champions, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.