The Turkmenistan national junior hockey team will begin its World U18 Championship tournament on Friday, February 13, in group B, Division III. The tournament is taking place in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Six teams are participating in the competition, divided into two groups. group A includes Iceland, South Africa, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Group B includes Turkmenistan, Thailand, and Luxembourg.

According to the regulations, each team will play three matches against opponents from the opposite group. The results of the group stage will determine the semifinalists: the team that takes first place in group A will face the second-place team in group B, and the winner of group B will play the runner-up in group A. The winners of the semifinals will compete for the tournament's gold medal.

For the Turkmen hockey players, the South African and Bosnia and Herzegovina national teams are familiar opponents from previous tournaments. Their only new opponent will be Iceland.

The head coach of the Turkmenistan U-18 team is Azatgeldi Bashimov, and his assistant is Maksat Atayev. The coaching staff notes the team's high motivation and determination to compete for the top spots.

Turkmenistan will play its first match on February 13 against South Africa (kickoff at 16:30 Ashgabat time), on February 14 against Iceland (16:30), and on February 16 against tournament hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina (23:30). The World Cup will run until February 19.

The Turkmenistan U18 team included goalkeepers Oraz Jepbarov and Annamammet Charshemov, defenders Serdarmyrat Yollyev, Nuraly Rejepov, Aymyrat Amanmedov, Rustam Omurov, Kyias Ustayev, Ruslan Buriyev, Aleksandr Kochetkov and Ihlas Seyitliev, as well as forwards Dayanch Batyrov, Yaroslav Davletchin, Kerimberdi Saparmyradov, Rovshen Archayev, Hezretali Mammedov, Bagtyyar Bashimov, Davut Adylov and Daniyar Konkuzhayev.