India and Pakistan will face off in Pool B of the FIH Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup 2025 after the draw was finalised in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Saturday. The two teams will be joined in the group by Chile and Switzerland.
FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 pools
- Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, Ireland
- Pool B: India, Pakistan, Chile, Switzerland
- Pool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, People’s Republic of China
- Pool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, Namibia
- Pool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, Austria
- Pool F: France, Australia, Republic of Korea, Bangladesh
The 14th edition of the men’s junior tournament will see an expanded 24 hockey teams competing for the coveted title for the first time.
The FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup was initially a 12-team tournament, which increased to 16 in the 2001 edition. The 2023 edition of the FIH Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup in Malaysia also featured 16 teams.
This will be the third FIH Junior Men’s World Cup to be held in India. Previously, India hosted the 2016 edition in Lucknow and the 2021 edition in Bhubaneswar.
While Chennai has held the Asian Champions Trophy in 2023, Madurai will be hosting an international event of this magnitude for the first time.
Germany are the most successful team in the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup for men with seven titles. They are also the defending champions, having beaten France in the 2023 final played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
India had settled for a fourth-place finish after losing 3-1 to Spain in 2023.
India are the two-time FIH Hockey Junior World Cup champions, having won the titles in 2001 and 2016. Pakistan’s only title triumph came at the inaugural edition in 1979, when they beat West Germany 2-0 in the final.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s hockey team is placed in Pool C alongside heavyweights Germany. The women’s hockey event will also feature 24 teams for the first time.
FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2025 pools
- Pool A: Netherlands, Japan, Chile, Malaysia
- Pool B: Argentina, Belgium, Zimbabwe, Wales
- Pool C: Germany, India, Ireland, Namibia
- Pool D: England, South Africa, People’s Republic of China, Austria
- Pool E: Australia, Spain, Canada, Scotland
- Pool F: United States, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Uruguay
The tournament will be held from December 1 to 13 in Santiago, Chile. The Netherlands are the current junior women’s world champions, having defeated Argentina in the final of the 2023 edition.
India’s best finish at a women’s junior hockey World Cup is third in the 2013 edition. They came close to matching the feat in 2022 but lost to England in the bronze medal match to settle for fourth place.
Each player competing in the junior hockey World Cup must be below 21 years of age in December of the year preceding the tournament.
