India to host Asia Cup, Junior World Cup in 2025
The men’s U-21 event will be staged in Chennai while the continental tournament will be staged in Rajgir, Bihar
India will continue its tradition of hosting international hockey events with the men’s Asia Cup to be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27 to September 7 and the junior men’s World Cup in Chennai in December, the dates for which are to be confirmed.
“The venues of these two international events have been finalised. We are planning everything keeping in mind the World Cup qualification and 2026 Nagoya Asian Games and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said.
The eight-team Asia Cup will be of vital importance to the Craig Fulton-coached India as the winner will qualify for the 2026 World Cup to be held in Belgium and Netherlands. Given the form India are in – bronze medallists at the last two Olympics – this is perhaps their best chance to reach the podium for the first time in 51 years. India’s only World Cup triumph came in 1975 when the side led by Ajit Pal Singh beat Pakistan in the final.
With India qualifying directly as hosts in the last two World Cups in 2018 and 2023, the 2017 and 2022 Asia Cups didn’t hold that much importance. Last time around, a second-string Indian squad finished with bronze in Jakarta 2022 where South Korea came out on top.
This will be the first time since Chennai 2007 that India will be hosting the continental tournament. Rajgir had hosted the women’s Asian Champions Trophy in November.
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. For the first time, 24 teams will take part in the 2025 event, increasing the number of participants from 16.
Bhola Nath confirmed that apart from the Pro League, no international women’s tournament is scheduled in India this year.
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