FIH Junior Rankings: Germany Clear at the Top, Pakistan 12th, and a Tight Race Behind Them

Germany aren’t just top of the junior rankings. They’re clear.

The FIH junior men’s table has Germany on 2400 points, a full 425 ahead of second-placed Argentina on 1975. Spain sit third on 1962.50, just ahead of India on 1950. That’s the top four, and the gap between second and fourth is only 25 points. One good tournament swings that whole order around.

The junior ranking works differently from the senior one, and it’s worth knowing why. It was introduced in June 2023 for the under-21 age group, and it’s built on tournament results: the last three Junior World Cups and the last three continental junior events. So it rewards programmes that keep producing, not just one golden generation.

Behind the top four, the Netherlands are fifth on 1837.50, France sixth on 1687.50 and Belgium seventh on 1625. Australia are eighth on 1400, New Zealand ninth on 1305, and South Africa round out the top ten on 1137.50.

For Asian hockey, the numbers are a mixed bag. Malaysia sit 11th on 1135 points, just 2.50 behind South Africa, and Pakistan are 12th on 967.50. Korea are 14th on 887.50, Japan 17th on 790 and China 20th on 590. Bangladesh are 25th on 367.30. The gap between Malaysia and Pakistan tells its own story: Malaysia’s juniors, who won the Sultan of Johor Cup last month, are knocking on the top ten’s door. Pakistan’s juniors have ground to make up, and the 2027 Junior World Cup qualifying road is where that gap gets closed or gets wider.

England are 13th on 950, Ireland 15th on 850, Canada 16th on 828.25 and the United States down in 29th on 260.25. For our money, the interesting fight isn’t at the very top. It’s that second-to-fourth scrap between Argentina, Spain and India, and the Malaysia-Pakistan gap in Asia. Both will move before the next Junior World Cup, and both are worth watching.