Lausanne (Switzerland), June 11: The Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have awarded the hosting rights of 2025 FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup to India.

The tournament will be played in December 2025. It will be the first time ever that a Junior World Cup will include as many as 24 teams.

"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," FIH president Tayyab Ikram said.

"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! 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.

Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India said, "We're delighted that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) chose India to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the FIH and FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram for entrusting us with this tournament.

"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."

Bhola Nath Singh, secretary general of Hockey India added, "Hosting the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 is a significant step for us, and 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."

The last edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup took place in 2023 in Malaysia and was won by Germany.

(IANS)

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