India will host the men’s edition of the junior hockey World Cup 2021 while the women’s event will be held in Potchefstroom in South Africa, International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Monday.
The dates will be determined later and FIH said that the competition will be played towards the end of that year.
It is the first time that the African continent will organise the pinnacle of junior hockey.
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The FIH Hockey Junior World Cup involves the best of young talents globally. This is the perfect platform for under-21 players to unleash their raw skill onto the international hockey scene and progress further to become the stars of tomorrow, making the event a unique one.
The 16 teams will compete for the title according to the continental quotas.
In the men’s category, six teams from Europe, four from Asia including India as hosts, and two each from Africa, Oceania, and Pan America will qualify for the tournament.
In women’s category, six teams from Europe, three each from Asia and Pan America, two each from Africa, including South Africa as hosts, and Oceania will bag a spot for the Junior World Cup.
The European Continental Championships were completed in 2019 in which Germany, England, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, and France qualified in the men’s category.
Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Russia and England have registered their spot in the junior women’s World Cup 2021.
The Continental qualifiers are scheduled throughout 2020.
The 2016 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups were won by Argentina (Women) and India (Men), respectively.
(ANI)