NEW DELHI: As anticipation builds for the 14th edition of the FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025, India Junior Men’s Hockey Team coach PR Sreejesh has offered a glimpse into the team’s mindset and strategy following the announcement of the tournament pools.
India has been drawn in Pool B, alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland. Speaking about the grouping, Sreejesh remarked,
“Our Pool B presents a good challenge, with Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland. While I expect the match against Pakistan will be interesting, the tournament will really start from the Quarterfinals. Therefore, we will take each game as it comes, one step at a time, and grab as many points as we can to secure the best spot in the Quarterfinals.”
The 2025 edition marks a significant moment in junior hockey history, as it is the first time the tournament will feature 24 teams, expanded from the earlier 16-team format used in previous editions.
“Playing in this new format will be very exciting,” Sreejesh added. “We’re planning our preparations accordingly to adapt to this larger and more competitive field.“
Under the revamped competition format, the 24 teams have been split into six pools (A to F) with four teams in each group. Teams will first compete in the pool stage, earning points to determine their standings. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Quarterfinals, which will follow a knockout format through to the Final.
Teams finishing 3rd and 4th in each pool will compete in Crossover Matches, leading to placement rounds for positions 9 to 16. Teams at the bottom of their pools will battle for rankings between 17 and 24. Quarterfinal losers will compete in classification matches to determine ranks 5 to 8.
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India is seeking redemption after narrowly missing the podium in the 2023 edition, where they finished 4th. The country’s best performances came in 2001 and 2016, when India clinched the Junior World Cup titles.
Germany, the defending champions and most successful team in the tournament’s history with seven titles, will once again be a formidable force to watch.
With an expanded lineup and high-stakes matches from the early stages, the FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 promises to be a landmark event. Under the leadership of Sreejesh, the Indian junior side is aiming to harness this opportunity to reclaim its position at the top of the hockey world.
