FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023: Tournament to be played across four newly laid pitches

Four freshly laid fields will be used for the upcoming FIH men’s World Cup matches at the cutting-edge Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela. The two locations will host World Cup games from January 13 to January 29. The Birsa Munda Stadium matches will be played on brand-new pitches that have been approved by the International Hockey Federation, while the main pitch and practise pitch at the Kalinga Stadium have both been re-laid (FIH).

“Matches will be played in the new jewel of hockey, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, and at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where so many wonderful pages of hockey’s history have been written,” Hockey India said in a statement.

The prestigious competition will feature the top 16 teams from around the world, including the hosts India. India is in Pool D with England, Spain, and Wales out of the four pools made up of the 16 teams. While the remaining eight teams from the four pools face off in cross-over matches for a spot in the last-eight round, the top four teams from each pool advance directly to the quarterfinals.

Argentina, Australia, France, and South Africa are in Pool A, while Belgium, Germany, Korea, and Japan are in Pool B. The Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Chile are included in Pool C. While Rourkela will host 20, Bhubaneswar will host 24 games, including the semifinals, final, and quarterfinals. India will play its first two league games on January 13 and 16.

“These are truly exciting times for hockey fans with the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela only a few weeks away. I am very happy to note that all four newly laid pitches certified by FIH are ready to be used,” HI president Dilip Tirkey said.

“Both Kalinga Hockey Stadium and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium will provide world-class facilities for the participating teams and the spectators. We are grateful to the Odisha State Government who have left no stone unturned in ensuring this edition of the World Cup will be a memorable one for everyone.”