India to Host Junior Hockey World Cup, Set for Blockbuster Clash with Pakistan

India is preparing to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup, scheduled from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai. The highly anticipated draw has placed the host nation in Pool B alongside rivals Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.

Hockey (AP Photo)

The draw ceremony, a significant event held at the FIH headquarters, marks a historic moment as this year's tournament will be the first to feature 24 teams.

Here's a breakdown of the pool compositions:

• Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, and Ireland.
• Pool B: India, Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.
• 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 witnessed 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 expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "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 further emphasized the significance of the tournament for infrastructure development, adding, "This World Cup also brings with it the opportunity to enhance our hockey infrastructure, and in the city of Madurai, introduce a new state-of-art hockey stadium." He also remarked, "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 enters the competition as the defending champions, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.