Junior Hockey World Cup: India to Host Pakistan in High-Stakes Pool B Clash

India Gears Up to Host Junior Men's Hockey World Cup; Faces Pakistan in Pool Play

India is set to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. The host nation finds itself in Pool B, a challenging group that includes Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.

A dynamic hockey match in progress.

The official draw, a significant event held at the FIH headquarters, marks a historic moment as the tournament expands to feature 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 was attended by key figures, including FIH President Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India (HI) Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Director General RK Srivastava.

"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," FIH chief Ikram said in a statement.

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 champion, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.