Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium has joined the elusive list of the world’s biggest hockey stadiums. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the stadium ahead of the upcoming Hockey World Cup. It is the fourth biggest hockey stadium in the world with a seated capacity of 20,000.
The biggest stadium in the World is in Lahore – National Stadium which has a capacity of 45000. It hosted the final of the 1990 Hockey World Cup.
The second on the list is Chandigarh Hockey Stadium with a capacity of 30,000, which makes Rourkela stadium, the second biggest in the country.
Weingart Stadium in the US has a capacity of 22,355.
Both the stadium and the hockey practice centre at the Rourkela stadium complex have been certified level-1 by FIH which is the highest in its category. As a tribute, the stadium has been named after legendary tribal leader Birsa Munda.
Odisha is hosting the Hockey World Cup for the second consecutive time and they don’t want to leave any stone unturned. This time, the mega sports event will be organised at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from January 13 to 29.
While 24 matches will be played in Kalinga Stadium, 20 matches will be held in the Birsa Munda Stadium.
Patnaik also inaugurated hockey training centres in Sundargarh, Ganjam, Sambalpur, and Rourkela.
FIH World Cup 2023: Odisha CM Inaugurates Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium at Rourkela
“It is a moment of great joy and celebration for Odisha. We are not only hosting the Hockey World Cup for the second consecutive time, but we have also built the world’s largest hockey stadium in Rourkela,” Chief Minister said at the inauguration.
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @Naveen_Odisha inaugurated the World’s Largest Stadium – by seated (chair) capacity of 20,000 ahead of the #HWC2023 and dedicated it to the people of Sundargarh & the hockey players of #India.The stadium complex is completed in record 15 months. pic.twitter.com/MKa6iK9Yoq
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) January 5, 2023
“This is the new Odisha. I dedicate this to the people of Sundargarh and the hockey players of our nation. I welcome the global hockey fraternity to come and experience its grandeur,” he added.
In the coming years, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium will play a pivotal role in taking Indian Hockey to global heights, Patnaik further said.
(With Agency Inputs)
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