India Junior Hockey Team is all set to compete against the best in World in Chennai while senior team competes in Rajgir

Asia Cup 2025 which is going to be the 12th edition of the continental tournament will be played in Rajgir. With a spot in the 2026 world cup in Netherlands and Belgium on offer it’s going to be a keenly contested tournament.

With two consecutive bronze medals in last two Olympics, this is potentially the best chance to enter the podium after five decades. India’s only World Cup triumph came in 1975 when the side led by Ajit Pal Singh beat Pakistan in the final.

At the last edition of Asia Cup in 2022, Indian team failed to make it to the Finals, as we won only one and drew other two matches and lost out on goal difference to Malaysia.

This will be the first time since Chennai 2007 that India will be hosting the continental tournament

South Korea 🇰🇷 is the most successful team winning it five times and are the defending champions as well.

India holds the record of most number of Finals appearances with 8 of the 11 times making it to Finals, winning it 3 times, the last being 2017 in Dhaka Bangladesh.

Pakistan had won the tournament three times consecutively since start in 1982 but have failed to do so after that, last they came closest was in 2009.

India, as host makes it to the final round while China 🇨🇳, Japan 🇯🇵, Malaysia 🇲🇾, Pakistan 🇵🇰 and South Korea 🇰🇷 make it as the highest ranked five teams, two teams are expected to join from AHF cup.

Junior World Cup 2025

The junior World Cup will be held in India for the fourth time, after the U-21 tournament was held in New Delhi 2013, Lucknow 2016 and Bhubaneswar 2021.

The last edition took place in Kuala Lumpur in 2023, which was won by Germany.

India had lost to Germany 1-4 in semifinal after getting better of Netherlands 4-3. The boys then went on to lose the bronze medal match as well to Spain.

Germany, in fact is the most successful nation at the Junior World winning it 7 times of the 13 times the tournament has taken place.

Indian team has managed to clinch the title two times with the last title coming in 2016.

For the first time, 24 teams will take part in the 2025 event, increasing the number of participants from 16.

Qualified Teams

Host India 🇮🇳

Pan American Argentina 🇦🇷 Chile 🇨🇱 Canada 🇨🇦

Euro Hockey Belgium 🇧🇪 England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 France 🇫🇷 Germany 🇩🇪 Netherlands 🇳🇱 Spain 🇪🇸 Austria 🇦🇹 Switzerland 🇨🇭

Asia Hockey Bangladesh 🇧🇩 China 🇨🇳 Japan 🇯🇵 Malaysia 🇲🇾 Pakistan 🇵🇰 Thailand 🇹🇭

Oceania 3 (yet to confirm)

Africa 3 (yet to confirm)