India to open campaign against Korea in FIH Junior Men's World Cup

Indian junior men's hockey team will begin their campaign against South Korea in Group C on the opening day of the 2023 FIH Men's Junior World Cup on December 5.

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The FIH Junior Men's World Cup 2023 will start from December 5 to 16 at the National Hockey Stadium Bukit Jalil. The tournament was officially launched during a ceremony at the marquee event in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

The Indian team, which finished fourth in the last FIH Junior Men's World Cup (2021) held in Bhubaneswar, got a relatively easy draw in the group stage. According to the draw released here on Saturday, teams from Spain and Canada are in Group C apart from India and South Korea. India will face Spain on December 7 and Canada on December 9 in the group stage.

Meanwhile, hosts Malaysia are in Group A alongside defending champions Argentina, Australia, and Chile. While six-time champions Germany, France, South Africa, and Egypt are in Group B. Netherlands, Belgium, Pakistan, and New Zealand are in Group D.

The group classification based on the FIH Junior World Rankings will see 16 teams from across the world compete for the coveted title, the sport's apex body said in a press release. Each player competing in the FIH Junior Men's World Cup must be below 21 years of age in the December of the year preceding the tournament.

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India's Uttam Singh expressed confidence of doing well in the tournament. He said, "With victories at the Sultan of Johor Cup and the Junior Asia Cup, the Indian team is brimming with optimism and is confident of a podium finish at the Junior World Cup in Malaysia. The passionate Malaysian spectators add an extra level of excitement to the event, and we can't wait to go there and do our best."

India has been the FIH Junior Men's World Cup winner in 2001 and 2016. India is the third team after Germany and Argentina to have won the tournament more than once since its inception in 1979.