Oman will compete in the FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025, replacing Pakistan, which has withdrawn from the tournament. The event will be held in Tamil Nadu- across Chennai and Madurai- from November 28 to December 10, 2025, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed on Wednesday.
How Oman Landed Its Debut Junior Hockey World Cup
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) formally notified the FIH that it would not accept the invitation to participate, despite having qualified through the Junior Asia Cup 2024. Consequently, Oman, the next highest-placed team from that event, has been invited to fill the vacant slot.
For the first time ever, both the men’s and women’s Junior World Cups will feature 24 teams each, in line with FIH’s Empowerment and Engagement Strategy to broaden global participation.
Pakistan had been drawn in Group B alongside India, Chile, and Switzerland. This marks the second tournament in India that Pakistan has pulled out from in 2025, following its withdrawal from the Men’s Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar (August 29–September 7), citing security concerns.
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The withdrawal follows deteriorating Indo-Pak relations after the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22) and India’s Operation Sindoor. Under a new Indian government policy, bilateral sporting events with Pakistan have been suspended, though both nations will continue to compete in multinational tournaments.
The Oman Hockey Association hailed the team’s participation as a historic milestone, marking the nation’s debut in the Junior World Cup.
“This participation represents a major step forward in the development of hockey in Oman and offers an opportunity for the next generation of Omani players to compete at the highest level,” the association stated.
The previous edition of the Men’s Junior World Cup (2023, Kuala Lumpur) was won by Germany.
