Junior Hockey World Cup Draw: India and Pakistan Set for Pool B Showdown as Tournament Expands

India Set to Host Junior Men's Hockey World Cup; Face Pakistan in Pool Play

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 Indian team finds itself in Pool B, where they will compete against Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.

Hockey (AP Photo)

The official draw, a historic event marking the expansion of the tournament to include 24 teams for the first time, was held at the FIH headquarters.

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

Key figures present at the draw ceremony included 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," said FIH President Ikram.

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 are the current title holders, having secured their seventh championship by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.