India to host third straight junior men’s hockey World Cup
A total of 16 teams will take part in the competition with six European teams already confirmed.
The Indian hockey men’s junior team will defend their crown at home next time around, as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Monday that the 2021 junior men's hockey World Cup will be hosted by India.
Last held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in 2016, the Indian hockey men’s junior team lifted the trophy after upstaging Belgium 2-1 in the final at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium and will go into the next edition as defending champions.
The venue and dates of the event, though, will be announced at a later stage but the FIH said in a release that the 'competition will be played towards the end of 2021.'
India, as a result, is now set to host the junior men's hockey World Cup for the third straight occasion, with the 2013 edition held in the country's capital, New Delhi.
Malaysia is the only other country that has hosted the competition three times, with the last occasion in 2009 where it shared hosting duties with Singapore.
No other country, though, has hosted the event more than once.
India also hosted the senior men's hockey World Cup, for the third time, in 2018 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar in Odisha. They had previously played host to the tournament in 1982 and 2010 and will organise it again in 2023.
The Indian hockey men's junior team has lifted the trophy on two occasions, the first one in 2001 in Australia where they beat Argentina 6-1 in the final.
European berths completed
The latest edition of the junior men's hockey World Cup will field a total of 16 teams; six from Europe, four from Asia, and two from Africa, Oceania and Pan America each.
Germany, England, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and France comprise the six European teams that have already qualified for the junior men's hockey World Cup after sealing their slots with their performances in the European Continental Championships last year.