Picture Credit: Hockey India
In the most significant development in the game of Hockey, it has now been confirmed that the prestigious Men's Hockey World Cup will be held in Rourkela and Bhubaneswar from January 13, 2023. The 16-team affair will witness the top-level international hockey tournament in the state of Odisha which will become the only state to host back-to-back FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup.
Notably, the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar hosted the previous edition of the World Cup and received wide recognition from all quarters for its exceptional infrastructure and Hockey India’s immaculate execution of the event as hosts.
Manpreet Singh who has been named the Captain for the upcoming Commonwealth Games shared his excitement on the news and reportedly expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his continued support for the sport.
"Under his leadership, we have been provided with the world's best hockey infrastructure to compete and with Rourkela's infrastructure nearing its competition, we are all waiting to play in the new facility. By hosting the event in India, we are provided yet another opportunity to fight for the prestigious World Cup title," said Manpreet. The skipper also informed that the team is heading in the right direction.
As far as Rourkela is concerned, it is a region famous for its hockey prowess, having produced numerous international hockey players. With the largest hockey stadium in the country being built in this city, Indian players will have a huge responsibility to make the best of the opportunity during the World Cup.