Lausanne, June 28 (IANS) Hosts India and arch-rivals Pakistan have been drawn in Pool B for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup scheduled to be held in Tamil Nadu from November 28 to December 10.

On the occasion of the draw ceremony held in Lausanne, Switzerland the six Pools of the expanded tournament which will feature 24 teams for the very first time, have been determined. Alongside, the men in blue will take on Chile and Switzerland in Pool B.

FIH President Tayyab Ikram participated in the draw ceremony along with Bhola Nath Singh, Hockey India Secretary General and Cdr. RK Srivastava, Hockey India Director General.

Ahead of the draw ceremony, FIH President Tayyab Ikram said, “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.

“I express my gratitude to the Tamil Nadu leadership Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for welcoming the young stars to the state of Tamil Nadu into the two beautiful cities of Chennai and Madurai. This World Cup also brings with it the opportunity to enhance our hockey infrastructure, and in the city of Madurai,

introduce a new state-of-art hockey stadium.

“I would also like to thank the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister of India Mansukh L. Mandaviya for seeing Hockey as a prime sport and supporting it not only in India, but also across Asia and globally.”

The FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu, India 2025 will be played in Chennai and Madurai.

Hockey India Secretary General, Bhola Nath Singh said, “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. On behalf of Hockey India, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, for his resolute support to hockey and its players across the nation. Under his visionary leadership and that of Sports Minister of India Mansukh L. Mandaviya, India’s hockey landscape has gained significant momentum.”

“This effort would not have been possible without the mentorship and support of our elder brother, Dato Tayyab Ikram ji, whose promotion of international hockey has been invaluable. In advance of the draw, I congratulate all 24 participating teams and warmly welcome each delegation to India. We hope this event offers a memorable and enriching experience for all,” he added.

Germany are the current Junior Men’s World Champions, having defeated France 2–1 in the final of the 2023 edition, to win a record-extending seventh title. .

The defending champions will face South Africa, Canada and Ireland in the Pool A fixtures.

Full draw:

Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, Ireland

Pool B: India, Pakistan, Chile, Switzerland

Pool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, China

Pool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, Namibia

Pool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, Austria

Pool F: France, Australia, Korea, Bangladesh

–IANS

aaa/ab