Will the Jr Men Hockey Nationals Make Waves Starting Tuesday in Jalandhar?

New Delhi, Aug 11 (NationPress) The 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2025 is about to commence on Tuesday in Jalandhar, Punjab. This thrilling tournament is scheduled to run until August 23 and will adopt a new division-based structure, a format previously utilized in the Senior and Sub Junior Men’s and Women’s as well as the Junior Women's National Championships earlier this year.

The competition will feature 30 teams divided into Division ‘A’, Division ‘B’, and Division ‘C’, with a promotion and relegation system that adds an exciting layer to the matches. The teams in Division ‘A’ will compete fiercely for the championship title, while the top two teams from Divisions ‘B’ and ‘C’ will ascend to the higher tier. Conversely, the bottom two teams in Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ will face relegation to the next division for 2026.

Division ‘A’ includes the nation’s 12 elite junior men’s teams, featuring defending champions Hockey Punjab, runners-up Hockey Uttar Pradesh, and third-place finishers Hockey Haryana. Pool matches are set to begin on August 16, culminating in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final from August 20 to 23. The teams are organized into the following pools:

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’ will consist solely of league matches, where the top two teams will advance to Division ‘A’ and the bottom two will be relegated to Division 'C'. Matches are scheduled from August 12 to 16. The teams are divided into these pools:

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 take place in a league format, divided into two pools of four teams each, with the top two teams promoted to Division 'B'. Matches will run from August 12 to 15. The teams include:

Pool A: Kerala Hockey, Le Puducherry Hockey, Telangana Hockey, Tripura Hockey

Pool B: Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Raj, Hockey Gujarat, Goans Hockey

In all three divisions, teams will earn 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss.

Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey stated, "Junior tournaments are vital for the future of Indian hockey. The young athletes will gain invaluable experience playing in this format, showcasing enhanced competitiveness among teams as they vie for promotion and the championship title. I wish all players the best and eagerly anticipate the tournament's developments."

Similarly, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh remarked, "The Junior Men National Championships are a key event in our calendar, providing young players with essential match experience and exposure. We are optimistic that this year’s tournament will display strong performances and contribute significantly to the growth of the sport at the grassroots level."