The 30 participating teams are split into Division \u2018A\u2019, Division \u2018B\u2019 and Division \u2018C\u2019, with promotion and relegation adding an extra edge to the competition. The teams in Division \u2018A\u2019 will be fighting for the title while the top two teams from Divisions \u2018B\u2019 and \u2018C\u2019 will earn promotion to the next tier. The bottom two sides in Divisions \u2018A\u2019 and \u2018B\u2019 will face relegation to the next division for 2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Division \u2018A\u2019 features the country\u2019s 12 best junior men\u2019s sides, including defending champions Hockey Punjab, runners-up Hockey Uttar Pradesh and third-placed Hockey Haryana. Pool matches begin on August 16, leading to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final from August 20 to 23. The teams are divided into the following pools:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool A: Hockey Punjab, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool B: Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Maharashtra<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool C: Hockey Haryana, Manipur Hockey, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool D: Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Association of Odisha, Hockey Andhra Pradesh<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Division \u2018B\u2019 will feature league matches only, with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division \u2018A\u2019 and the last two relegated to Division 'C'. Matches will run from August 12 to 16. The teams are divided into the following two pools:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool A: Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Himachal, Hockey Chandigarh, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Hockey Arunachal<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool B: Hockey Association of Bihar, Delhi, Hockey Uttarakhand, Hockey Bengal, Assam Hockey<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Division 'C' will also be played in a league format with teams divided into two pools of four teams each, with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division 'B'. Matches will take place from August 12 to 15. The teams are divided into the following pools:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool A: Kerala Hockey, Le Puducherry Hockey, Telangana Hockey, Tripura Hockey<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool B: Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Raj, Hockey Gujarat, Goans Hockey<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Across all three divisions, teams will earn 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pool B: Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Raj, Hockey Gujarat, Goans Hockey<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh spoke on similar lines and stated, \"The Junior Men National Championships are an important event in our calendar, giving young players valuable match experience and exposure. We are confident that this year\u2019s tournament will showcase strong performances and continue to contribute to the growth of the sport at the grassroots level.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n