Hockey News: Odisha Government Prepares for the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup

Odisha is hosting the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup for the second time in a row after the tremendous success of the 2018 edition of the World Cup. They also hosted the Asian Athletics Championship in 2017.

Sixteen countries will compete at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup. The teams will be divided into four groups of four teams each. They will compete in a round-robin format, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.

The Chief Minister's Office of Odhisa held a meeting with Private Secretary to Chief Minister V.K. Pandian, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra, Principal Secretaries, Cuttack and Rourkela administrations on August 22 to make sure the 2023 edition of the World Cup is bigger and better.

Chief Secretary of the Odhisa government, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, said, "We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming the top teams of the world. Certain areas need special attention. We will be reviewing the development periodically."

He also expressed that the state government is confident in ensuring a smooth and memorable experience for players at the World Cup despite the challenges of hosting the tournament in two different cities.

The Odisha government also hopes to impress the visiting and local fans by adding new aspects to attract more crowds.

Private Secretary to Chief Minister V. K. Pandiyan, said. "It is a matter of great pride that Odisha has got the opportunity to host the consecutive edition of the Men's Hockey World Cup, that too at two different venues."

He further added, "This has never happened before. We should be extremely proud of this. Odisha has set a benchmark in hosting international events."

New turfs have been laid out at the Kalinga stadium to prepare the field, and the beautification of Rourkela is currently going on.

The 2023 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup will also be used to showcase the culture, art, and heritage of Odhisa alongside its capability to play the role of a remarkable host.