Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025: India eye long-awaited return to the podium

The Indian junior women’s hockey team returns to the global stage on Monday with renewed purpose, fresh energy and a clear target, ending a 12-year wait for a podium finish at the FIH Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 in Santiago, Chile.

India’s only medal at this level came in 2013, when the team clinched a dramatic bronze. Since then, the Under-21 side has come close but has never crossed that threshold again. As the 11th edition of the tournament begins at the Centro Deportivo de Hockey Césped, Estadio Nacional, India are determined to script a new chapter.

This year marks a historic expansion of the Junior World Cup, with the field growing from 16 to 24 teams, a shift that changes the competitive landscape and offers more global representation than ever before.

A fresh start against Namibia

India open their Pool C journey against Namibia on December 1 at 7:45 PM IST. While the teams have not faced each other in recent FIH events, the matchup offers India an opportunity to settle quickly into tournament rhythm.

The squad, led by captain Jyoti Singh, arrived in Santiago a week early to acclimatise.

“We adjusted well to the conditions and the morale is high,” Jyoti said before the opener. “The goal is to build momentum from Day 1 and execute everything we’ve worked on.”

India will then face five-time champions Germany on December 3, followed by Ireland on December 5, fixtures that are likely to shape their quarter-final prospects.

Tournament format and pools

The 24 participating teams have been divided into six pools:

Pool A: Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands

Pool B: Argentina, Belgium, Wales, Zimbabwe

Pool C: Germany, India, Ireland, Namibia

Pool D: Austria, China, England, South Africa

Pool E: Australia, Canada, Scotland, Spain

Pool F: New Zealand, Korea, USA, Uruguay

After the round-robin stage, six group winners and two best runners-up will progress to the quarter-finals, followed by full classification matches to determine positions from 1 to 24.

India’s match schedule (IST)

Dec 1, Monday: India vs Namibia – 7:45 PM

Dec 3, Wednesday: India vs Germany – 7:45 PM

Dec 5, Friday: India vs Ireland – 5:30 PM

Dec 7–13: Classification matches (if applicable)

Dec 8, Monday: Quarter-finals

Dec 12, Friday: Semi-finals – from 2:30 AM

Dec 14, Sunday: Bronze medal match – 2:30 AM

Dec 14, Sunday: Final – 4:45 AM

Where to watch in India

Fans can watch the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 live:

Live streaming: JioHotstar (app & website)

TV telecast: Star Sports Select 1

All matches from Santiago will be broadcast from a single venue, making scheduling more seamless for viewers.

India’s 18-member squad for Junior World Cup 2025

Goalkeepers: Nidhi, Engil Harsha Rani Minz

Defenders: Manisha, Lalthanlualangi, Sakshi Shukla, Puja Sahoo, Nandini

Midfielders: Sakshi Rana, Ishika, Sunelita Toppo, Jyoti Singh (captain), Khaidem Shileima Chanu, Binima Dhan

Forwards: Sonam, Purnima Yadav, Kanika Siwach, Hina Bano, Sukhveer Kaur

Alternates: Priyanka Yadav, Parwati Topno