(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
New Delhi, August 11, 2025 –
The 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship is set to begin on August 12 in Jalandhar, Punjab, running through August 23. This year, the tournament will feature an exciting new division-based format, already introduced in earlier national championships for senior and junior categories.
A total of 30 teams will compete across three divisions – Division A, B, and C – with promotion and relegation adding extra intensity to the competition. The top 12 junior men’s teams in Division A will battle for the championship title, while the best two teams from Divisions B and C will earn promotion to the next tier. Conversely, the bottom two teams in Divisions A and B face relegation for the 2026 season.
Division A pools include defending champions Hockey Punjab, runners-up Hockey Uttar Pradesh, and third-placed Hockey Haryana. Pool matches will begin on August 16, with knockout stages scheduled from August 20 to 23. The pools are:
-
Pool A: Hockey Punjab, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu
-
Pool B: Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Maharashtra
-
Pool C: Hockey Haryana, Manipur Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey
-
Pool D: Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Association of Odisha, Hockey Andhra Pradesh
Division B matches will be held from August 12 to 16 in a league format, with top teams promoted and bottom teams relegated. Pools are:
-
Pool A: Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Himachal, Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Hockey Arunachal
-
Pool B: Hockey Association of Bihar, Delhi, Hockey Uttarakhand, Hockey Bengal, Assam Hockey
Division C will also follow a league format from August 12 to 15, with the top two teams promoted to Division B. Pools include:
-
Pool A: Kerala Hockey, Le Puducherry Hockey, Telangana Hockey, Tripura Hockey
-
Pool B: Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Raj, Hockey Gujarat, Goans Hockey
Across all divisions, teams will earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and none for a loss.
Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey emphasized the importance of the tournament for nurturing young talent, saying, “Junior tournaments are crucial for the future of Indian hockey. This new format will raise competitiveness across divisions as teams fight for promotion and the championship. We wish all players the best and look forward to a thrilling tournament.”
Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh added, “The Junior Men National Championships provide vital match experience and exposure for young players. We expect strong performances that will boost hockey’s growth at the grassroots level.”
