Odisha has become the hub for the national sports capital of India. The refurbished Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and the newly built Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela seem to have infused a new zest for the sport amongst the citizens which is but a natural extension as the state is home to players like Dilip Tirkey, Ignes Trikey, Anupa Barla, Jyoti Kullu to name a few have brought glory for the country. The Indian Hockey Premier League in which Kalinga Lancers represents the state has also added to the popularity of the sport.
Hockey World Cup
FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela was the 15th edition of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup. It was held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, from 13th to 29th January 2023. It was 4th time that India hosted the event, while It is yet another feather in the cap for Odisha that hosted the showpiece event for the second consecutive time.
Hockey World League
The top 16 hockey teams across the globe participated in this tournament. Wales and Chille were the two teams, who made their world cup debut in this event. Germany won their third title after defeating Belgium in the final after penalties. The Netherlands captured the bronze medal by winning against Australia. There were 249 goals scored in 44 matches in this tournament. Australian veteran Jeremy Hayward was the highest scorer of this event and German star Niklas Wellen was named the player of the tournament.
