India to Host Junior Hockey World Cup; Arch-Rivals India, Pakistan Drawn in Same Group

India is preparing to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup from November 28 to December 10, with matches to be held in Chennai and Madurai. The host nation, India, finds itself in Pool B alongside rivals Pakistan, as well as Chile and Switzerland.

Action on the hockey field (AP Photo).

The draw ceremony, a landmark event, 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 attendance 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 enters the competition as the defending champions, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.