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

India is gearing up to host the prestigious FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup, scheduled from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai. The highly anticipated tournament will see the host nation lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in Pool B, alongside Chile and Switzerland.

Hockey players in action during a match.

The draw ceremony, a significant event held at the FIH headquarters, marked a historic moment as this edition will be the first to feature an expanded format of 24 teams.

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