India has been clubbed with powerhouse Germany, Ireland and Namibia in Pool C of the FIH Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup, to be played in Santiago, Chile, from December 1 to 13 this year.
The 11th edition of the biennial tournament, which has been expanded to 24 teams, will have six pools of four teams each, with five-time champion Netherlands in Pool A and two-time winner Argentina in Pool B.
The previous edition in 2023, also held in Santiago, had 16 teams.
“On the occasion of the draw ceremony held today in Santiago, Chile, the six pools of the upcoming expanded FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2025, which will feature 24 teams for the very first time, have been determined,” said an International Hockey Federation (FIH) release on Friday.
India has never won the prestigious tournament, finishing third in the 2013 edition held in Monchengladbach, Germany and fourth in the 2022 edition held in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
The team, led by goalkeeper Nidhi, had a mixed bag in the recently-concluded 4-Nation Tournament in Argentina — a preparatory event for the Junior World Cup — winning four games and losing two. It defeated Uruguay twice, and won one game each against Chile and Argentina.
Chilean hockey federation president, Andres de Witt, said, “It is great that the first ever 24-team FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup will be played in Chile. It is also special for us that the draw ceremony for the event is being held locally in Chile for the first time, which is a great honour and responsibility for us.”
Groups:
Pool A: Netherlands, Japan, Chile, Malaysia
Pool B: Argentina, Belgium, Zimbabwe, Wales
Pool C: Germany, India, Ireland, Namibia
Pool D: England, South Africa, China, Austria
Pool E: Australia, Spain, Canada, Scotland
Pool F: United States, Korea, New Zealand, Uruguay
