Image used for representative purpose only. Photo: File Image used for representative purpose only. Photo: File 
India will host next year's men's Junior Hockey World Cuphaha777, marking the event's return to the country after nine years, the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation announced on Tuesday. (More Hockey News)
The tournament will be held in December and it will be the first time ever that a Hockey Junior World Cup will include as many as 24 teams.
This was announced by FIH President Tayyab Ikram who said: "Giving more opportunities to play to a larger and more diverse number of National Associations is one of the key pillars of our empowerment and engagement strategy."
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"Therefore, I’m very happy that we’ve increased the number of participating teams for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cups and I look forward to seeing these 24 young teams, representing the future of our sport, next year!" he added.
The last edition of the tournament was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2023 with Germany emerging winners with a 2-1 win over France. Spain and India took the third and fourth places respectively.
India have, in the past, hosted the tournament three times in 2013 (New Delhi), 2016 (Lucknow) and 2021 (Bhubaneswar). India were the winners of the 2016 edition as well.
"At this stage, I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Hockey India for their commitment to organise yet another fantastic event," Ikram added.
Extending his gratitude, president of Hockey India Dilip Tirkey said: "This prestigious tournament highlights India's growing importance in international hockey and shows our dedication to developing the sport for future generations.
"We're excited to share India's rich hockey history and provide a stage for young talent to showcase their skills."
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"We appreciate the FIH's trust in us. This event offers a fantastic chance to bring hockey to even greater heights, inspiring a whole new generation of players and fans in India and globally.
"We're committed to making this tournament a memorable experience that celebrates everything hockey is abouthaha777," he added.