POOLS ANNOUNCED FOR 2025 FIH JUNIOR WORLD CUPS
Hockey New Zealand is pleased to confirm that both the Men's and Women's New Zealand Under-21 teams will compete at the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups, with two world-class tournaments on the horizon for New Zealand’s emerging talent.
These events represent the pinnacle of under-21 international hockey, offering an elite platform for development and performance against the world’s best junior teams.
The Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup will be held from 28 November to 10 December 2025 across two cities in India (Chennai and Madurai). This will be the 14th edition of the tournament and the first time it features an expanded format of 24 competing nations. Matches will be played across two venues, including the historic Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.
The Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup will take place in Santiago, Chile, and marks the 11th edition of the tournament. This is the fourth time Santiago has hosted the event and the first time the women’s competition will also include 24 teams, aligning with the men’s format.
Both tournaments will follow the same structure. Teams will be divided into six pools of four and compete in a round-robin format. The six pool winners and the two best second-placed teams will progress to the quarterfinals. The remaining teams will enter classification playoffs to determine final placings from 9th to 24th. All matches will be played in a knockout format from the conclusion of the group stage.
Men – Pool C
Argentina
New Zealand
Japan
China
Women – Pool F
USA
Korea
New Zealand
Uruguay
Men’s Pools
Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, Ireland
Pool B: India, Pakistan, Chile, Switzerland
Pool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, China
Pool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, Namibia
Pool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, Austria
Pool F: France, Australia, Korea, Bangladesh
Women’s Pools
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: USA, Korea, New Zealand, Uruguay
These tournaments are a key milestone in the high-performance pathway for Hockey New Zealand and offer a major opportunity for athletes to gain exposure to top international competition. With both squads featuring a strong mix of youth and experience, New Zealand’s junior teams are well positioned to compete with confidence and ambition on the world stage.
Full squad announcements and preparation updates will be released in the lead-up to both tournaments.