Hockey India and the Government of Tamil Nadu on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and unveiled the official logo for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 to be held in the State.
The 14th edition of the international hockey tournament will be held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10 and will see the number of participating teams rise from 16 to 24.
Each city will host 12 teams during the initial phase of the tournament before the bandwagon shifts to the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in the capital for the semifinal and the final.
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayinidhi Stalin, announced that the State government has sanctioned Rs. 65 crore for the conduct of the tournament.
“Chennai and Madurai will be the proud hosts for this grand event, showcasing our hockey legacy and rich infrastructure. Tamil Nadu has a proven track record of hosting major hockey events, dating back to the first edition of the Men’s Champions Trophy in 1996,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
“The sanctioned amount will be spent not only for the event but also for infrastructure development, including a new world-class synthetic turf in Madurai,” he added.
“Hosting back-to-back high-profile hockey events [Asian Champions Trophy in 2023 and the Junior World Cup in 2025] is a testament to the excellence in hosting and the support provided by the Tamil Nadu State government,” Hockey India Secretary General, Bhola Nath Singh, said.
Hockey India Treasurer, Sekar J. Manoharan, lauded the decision to host the event in Madurai, providing people from the southern parts of the State an opportunity to witness top-class hockey in their backyard.
“The southern zone in Tamil Nadu is a hockey hub. Building a stadium there and hosting an event will be a huge success. The decision to build a viewing gallery along with the new pitch in Madurai will allow many people to come and watch the games and get inspired,” said Manoharan, the President of the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu.
“Our junior team has been doing well, and we hope to see the side finish on the podium in front of the home crowd,” he added.
Manoharan also confirmed that all the clearances have been sought from the central government to allow Pakistan, which qualified for the tournament after finishing runner-up in the 2024 Junior Asia Cup, to participate in the under-21 event.