India to begin Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 against Chile, HI welcomes Pakistan
Pakistan’s participation in the FIH junior Hockey World Cup in India later this year has been a question mark hanging over the tournament. However, Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey was bullish about the chances of Pakistan playing, noting that while no official confirmation has come yet, the federation was preparing to welcome Pakistan.
“India, the Government, Hockey India, all of us are welcoming Pakistan. We also welcomed Pakistan in the Asia Cup as well, but it didn’t come for security reasons. We are welcoming them for the Junior World Cup as well,” Tirkey confirmed while speaking to the media during the tournament schedule announcement on Monday.
“We can’t say what their decision is for the tournament, but from our side, they are welcome,” he added.
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The schedule for the upcoming Junior World Cup was announced at a function with FIH president Dato Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India secretary-general Bholanath Singh and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Udhayanidhi Stalin among them in attendance.
The tournament is scheduled to be held between November 28 and December 10 across Chennai and Madurai.
The pool stage for the tournament, which has been expanded to 24 teams, will take place over five days with December 3 as a rest day. The crossover stage of the tournament will then take place over the following nine days. The final will be held on December 10.
India has been drawn into Pool B alongside Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland. It will begin its campaign against Chile on November 28, before its hotly anticipated clash against Pakistan on November 29. It will then finish the pool stage against Switzerland on December 2. The opening two matches will be in Chennai, before moving to Madurai for the final match of the pool stage.
Published on Sep 09, 2025