Hockey India has announced an ambitious Trophy Tour across 20 cities in the lead-up to the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025, which will be hosted in Tamil Nadu from November 28 to December 10, 2025.
The nationwide journey of the prestigious trophy aims to unite hockey fans across the country and build excitement ahead of the biggest-ever edition of the Junior World Cup. The Trophy Tour will officially commence on November 7, 2025, during the Hockey India Centenary Celebrations at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
The launch event will be graced by several dignitaries, including Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey, Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh, and Treasurer Sekar J. Manoharan. After the flag-off in Delhi, the World Cup trophy will embark on a nationwide journey through 20 cities, culminating back in Tamil Nadu ahead of the tournament’s opening match.
From the northern landscapes of Jammu and Kashmir to the southern coast of Kerala, the trophy will travel thousands of kilometers bringing the spirit of hockey to schools, academies, and fan communities across India.
Connecting India Through Hockey
Announcing the initiative, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey said the Trophy Tour is a symbolic effort to take the World Cup’s energy beyond stadiums and into the heart of the nation.
“The idea behind the Trophy Tour is to take the excitement of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup to every corner of India,” said Dr. Tirkey. “This is a historic moment for Indian hockey as we host the largest-ever edition of the Junior World Cup with 24 teams. We want fans from every part of the country to feel connected to the tournament and send their best wishes to the Indian team before they begin their campaign in Chennai.”
The 2025 edition of the Junior World Cup will see India play host to the event for the first time in Tamil Nadu, with matches scheduled in Chennai and Madurai. It marks a major milestone in Indian hockey’s centenary year, with Hockey India completing 100 years of the sport’s organized legacy.
A Journey of Unity and Celebration
Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh described the Trophy Tour as a “celebration of the sport’s national heartbeat.”
“From Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Kerala in the south, this Trophy Tour is a unique initiative that unites the hockey fraternity ahead of a prestigious global event,” he said. “Starting the journey during the Hockey India Centenary Celebrations in New Delhi adds greater significance to this milestone moment. The journey of the trophy through 20 cities will ensure that fans from every region share in the pride and excitement of hosting the world’s best junior hockey teams.”
The Trophy Tour will engage fans through local events, media interactions, and school visits, offering thousands of young athletes the opportunity to see the World Cup trophy up close. The initiative also reflects Hockey India’s commitment to growing the sport at the grassroots level by inspiring future players and creating awareness about the international tournament.
Trophy Tour Itinerary
Below is the detailed schedule for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 Trophy Tour:
- November 7 – New Delhi (Launch at Hockey India Centenary Celebrations)
- November 9 – Panchkula, Haryana (12 PM)
- November 9 – Chandigarh (3 PM)
- November 10 – Amritsar, Punjab
- November 11 – Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir
- November 12 – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- November 13 – Udaipur, Rajasthan
- November 14 – Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- November 15 – Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
- November 16 – Kolkata, West Bengal
- November 17 – Raipur, Chhattisgarh
- November 18 – Ranchi, Jharkhand
- November 19 – Patna, Bihar
- November 20 – Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- November 21 – Guwahati, Assam
- November 22 – Pune, Maharashtra
- November 23 – Hyderabad, Telangana
- November 24 – Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- November 25 – Bengaluru, Karnataka
- November 26 – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
The trophy will then return to Tamil Nadu ahead of the start of the Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai, where teams from around the globe will compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
India, the defending bronze medalist from the 2023 edition, will enter the home tournament as one of the favourites, buoyed by strong recent performances at the junior level. With this Trophy Tour, Hockey India aims not only to celebrate the sport’s glorious past but also to inspire the next generation of champions who will carry the nation’s legacy forward.
As the countdown begins to the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025, the Trophy Tour promises to turn every stop into a festival of hockey celebrating India’s enduring love for the sport and its proud role as a global host.
