South Africa’s junior women’s hockey team has been announced for the upcoming Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup, set to take place in Santiago, Chile from 1 to 13 December 2025. The 20-player squad, revealed by South African Hockey, will represent the nation after earning their spot through victory at this year’s African continental championship.

The team blends promising new faces with significant experience, as seven players return from the 2023 World Cup squad. Among them are Olympians Paris-Gail Isaacs, Ntsopa Mokoena, and Taheera Augousti, each bringing international pedigree to the lineup. The selection, however, comes with the setback of losing Jenna Blaauw to injury.

South Africa has been drawn into Pool D for the tournament, where they will face Austria in their opening match on 2 December, followed by games against England on 4 December and China on 6 December. The pool presents a competitive challenge, but a senior South African Hockey official, Reggie Smith expressed confidence in the squad’s mix of experience and fresh talent, emphasizing that this reflects the strength of the country’s player development pipeline.

Smith highlighted the realistic hopes of the team to make an impact on the world stage, crediting the groundwork laid by local competitions and the opportunities for youth advancement.

With preparations now in full swing, the focus turns to Santiago, where South Africa’s juniors will aim to prove their mettle against the world’s best.