2026 Junior Pan American Cups (JPAC) Key Information

Tournament History

Organized by the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF), the Junior Pan American Cups (formerly the Junior Pan American Championships) is a premier international junior field hockey competition. The men’s tournament launched in 1978, while the women’s edition began in 1988.

In men’s competition, Argentina has dominated with nearly every title, only ceding victory to Chile in 2021. For women’s play, Argentina leads with eight titles, followed by the U.S. with two and Canada with one.

Historically, the U.S. U-21 Men’s National Team has claimed two JPAC bronze medals (2008, 2021). The U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team has an impressive medal record: two golds (2008, 2023), five silvers (1988, 2000, 2005, 2016, 2024) and three bronzes (1997, 2012, 2021).

Participating Teams & Format

A total of eight nations will take part in the 2026 event: Argentina, the United States, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

• Men’s Tournament (7 teams): No. 3 Argentina, No. 16 Canada, No. 20 Chile, No. 29 USA, No. 34 Brazil, No. 36 Mexico, Venezuela. Teams will compete for three direct 2027 Junior World Cup spots.
• Women’s Tournament (6 teams): No. 2 Argentina, No. 4 USA, No. 16 Uruguay, No. 18 Chile, No. 21 Canada, No. 34 Mexico. Teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the semifinals and securing World Cup qualification.

Both divisions follow a round-robin group stage, with top-ranked teams progressing to the knockout semifinals.

U.S. Team Rosters & Outlook

U-21 Men’s Team

Head coach Paul Singh announced the men’s roster in February, aiming to guide the team to its first Junior World Cup qualification since 2021. The team suffered a heartbreaking exit in the 2024 JPAC, losing to Chile in a shootout during the bronze medal match and narrowly missing qualification.

Seven players return from the 2024 squad: Rory Bleeker, Sekayi Charasika, Mehtab Grewal, Mees Kloen, Noah Mendoza, Bennet Nobereit, and Jasper Pouw. Among them, Bleeker, Charasika, Grewal, and Pouw also represented the U.S. at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifier in Ismalia, Egypt earlier this year.

U-21 Women’s Team

Fresh off a historic sixth-place finish at the 2025 Junior World Cup in Santiago last December, the U-21 U.S. Women’s Team is set to compete again under returning head coach Ange Bradley. Nine players from the 2025 JWC squad are back: Mary Adams (Andover, Mass.), Reese Anetsberger (Northbrook, Ill.), Ella Beach (Northbrook, Ill.), Madison Beach (Northbrook, Ill.), Olivia Bent-Cole (Philadelphia, Pa.), Juliana Boon (Houston, Texas), Reese D’Ariano (West Chester, Pa.), Lauren Masters (Pittstown, N.J.), and Ava Moore (Southampton, N.J.). The squad also features several newcomers vying for their first junior international caps. Notably, Reese D’Ariano, a senior USWNT member, helped the U.S. win silver and qualify for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup at the 2025 Pan American Cup.

Schedule

On the men’s side, there are seven countries participating: No. 3 Argentina, No. 16 Canada, No. 20 Chile, No. 29 USA, No. 34 Brazil, No. 36 Mexico, and Venezuela. The women’s competition features six countries: No. 2 Argentina, No. 4 USA, No. 16 Uruguay, No. 18 Chile, No. 21 Canada, and No. 34 Mexico. Each team will play each other in a round-robin format, with the top four teams moving on to the semifinals.