15th Hockey Sub Junior Women's National Championship 2025 to begin from tomorrow

The hockey tournament will begin on July 3 in Ranchi with 28 teams.

The 15th Hockey Sub Junior Women’s National Championship 2025 is set to begin on 3rd July at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The tournament will run until 14th July and will follow the newly-introduced division-based format—first implemented earlier this year during the Senior Men and Women’s National Championships.

This year’s edition will feature 28 teams divided into three divisions—Division A, Division B, and Division C—introducing an added competitive edge with promotion and relegation at stake.

Division A, comprising the top 12 performing teams in the country, will see intense action as the defending champions Jharkhand and last year’s runner-up Madhya Pradesh lead the challenge for the national title. Division B and Division C will serve as competitive battlegrounds for emerging teams to climb the ranks.

Division Format & Pool Composition

Division A (Top-tier Championship Division): Teams compete for the title and two will face relegation.

• Pool A: Jharkhand, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh
• Pool B: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Hockey
• Pool C: Association of Odisha, Maharashtra, Punjab
• Pool D: Mizoram, Delhi, Association of Bihar

Each team will play round-robin matches within their pool. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the Quarterfinals (11 July), followed by the Semifinals (12 July) and the Final & 3rd place playoff (14 July). The bottom two teams in Division A will be relegated to Division B next year.

Also in Division A, if at the end of regulation time a classification match ends in a draw, a shoot-out competition—as specified in the FIH Tournament Regulations—will be conducted to determine the winner.

Division B (Mid-tier Division): Teams compete for promotion to Division A; bottom two face relegation.

• Pool A: Karnataka, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
• Pool B: Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Unit of Tamil Nadu, Bengal

Division C (Entry-level Division): Teams compete for promotion to Division B.

• Pool A: Raj, Le Puducherry, Himachal
• Pool B: Assam, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Goans

Divisions B and C will follow a league format only, with top two teams in each gaining promotion to higher divisions.

Across all divisions, teams will earn 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 for a loss.

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Speaking on the tournament, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey said, “The division-based format has brought a new sense of purpose and competitiveness to our domestic structure. The Hockey Sub Junior Women’s National Championship is a crucial platform for identifying and nurturing talent at the grassroots.

“Hosting the tournament in Ranchi—home to a strong hockey culture—makes this even more special. We look forward to witnessing top-tier performances from young athletes who are the future of Indian hockey.”

Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh added, “This revamped structure gives every team a clear goal—be it winning the championship, earning promotion, or avoiding relegation. It keeps the excitement alive at every level of the tournament.

“We are committed to providing equal and meaningful exposure to young girls through well-organised championships like this. Ranchi is ready to host another memorable event.”

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