India to Host Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup in 2025

New Delhi: India is set to host the Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup in December 2025, marking the tournament’s return to the country after nine years. The Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made the announcement on Tuesday.

This upcoming edition will be historic as it will feature 24 teams for the first time. FIH President Tayyab Ikram emphasized the importance of increasing opportunities for a larger and more diverse range of national teams, highlighting this as a key aspect of their empowerment and engagement strategy.

“Giving more opportunities to play to a larger and more diverse number of National Associations is one of the key pillars of our empowerment and engagement strategy,” said Ikram. “We saw at the FIH Hockey5s World Cup in Oman this year how more diversity brings a huge added value to our events. Therefore, I’m very happy that we’ve increased the number of participating teams for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cups and I look forward to seeing these 24 young teams, representing the future of our sport, next year!”

The last Junior Hockey World Cup was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2023, with Germany clinching the title by defeating France 2-1. Spain and India secured the third and fourth positions respectively. India has previously hosted the tournament three times: in 2013 (New Delhi), 2016 (Lucknow), and 2021 (Bhubaneswar). Notably, India won the 2016 edition.

FIH President Ikram expressed his gratitude to Hockey India for their dedication to organizing another significant event. “At this stage, I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Hockey India for their commitment to organise yet another fantastic event,” he added.

Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey welcomed the announcement, highlighting India’s growing importance in international hockey. “This prestigious tournament highlights India’s growing importance in international hockey and shows our dedication to developing the sport for future generations. We’re excited to share India’s rich hockey history and provide a stage for young talent to showcase their skills.”

Secretary General of Hockey India Bhola Nath Singh also praised the FIH’s decision, calling it a significant step for Hockey India. “We appreciate the FIH’s trust in us. This event offers a fantastic chance to bring hockey to even greater heights, inspiring a whole new generation of players and fans in India and globally. We’re committed to making this tournament a memorable experience that celebrates everything hockey is about.”