India to host Junior Hockey World Cup in 2025

India will host the men's Junior Hockey World Cup in December 2025, marking the event's return to the country after nine years, as announced by the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday. This edition will be historic, featuring 24 teams for the first time ever.

FIH President Tayyab Ikram highlighted the significance of increasing the number of participating teams, stating, "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. We saw at the FIH Hockey5s World Cup in Oman this year how more diversity brings a huge added value to our events."

Ikram expressed enthusiasm for the expanded tournament, "I look forward to seeing these 24 young teams, representing the future of our sport, next year!"

The previous Junior Hockey World Cup was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2023, where Germany triumphed with a 2-1 victory over France. Spain and India secured the third and fourth places, respectively.

India has a history of hosting the tournament, with previous editions held in New Delhi (2013), Lucknow (2016), and Bhubaneswar (2021). India won the tournament in 2016. "At this stage, I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Hockey India for their commitment to organise yet another fantastic event," added Ikram.

Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey remarked, "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 echoed these sentiments, "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."