India grouped with Spain in Women's Champions Challenge

India have been drawn with Spain, Azerbaijan and hosts Ireland in Group B of the Women's Champion Challenge to be held in Dublin from June 18 to 26.

India earned promotion to the event by virtue of winning the 2009 Champions Challenge II and their end of tournament position at the BDO FIH Indoor World Cup in Argentina.

Eight teams will participate in the biennial event and will be split into two groups of four each.

Following the round robin event, all eight teams will then move into a cross-over quarter-final match, seeded according to their respective group placings.

New Zealand won the last edition of the Women's Champions Challenge in 2009 when the event was held in South Africa.

Favourites for the title, South Africa and Japan have been drawn in Group A with USA and Scotland as the third and fourth teams.

Host nation Ireland were also at the 2009 Champions Challenge II, finishing in third place.

Japan and USA will kick off the event on June 18. The teams will have three days of action in the preliminary league stage.

Losing teams in the quarter-finals will play in the 5-8 classification section, while the winners will move into the semi-finals.