The prestigious hockey event will include competition between the best 16 teams from around the globe, including the hosts India. India is in Pool D with England, Spain, and Wales out of the 16 teams, which are split up into four pools.
The cutting-edge Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela will host the 2017 FIH men’s World Cup, which will feature four newly laid fields.
Between January 13 and January 29, the World Cup will be held at both sites. The Birsa Munda Stadium will host matches on brand-new pitches that have been approved by the International Hockey Federation, while the main pitch in the Kalinga Stadium and the practice pitch have also been re-laid (FIH).
Statement about the hockey fields
“Matches will be played in the legendary Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where so many wonderful pages of hockey’s history have been written, and the new jewel of hockey, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela,” according to a statement from Hockey India.
The elite competition will feature the best 16 teams from around the globe, including the host India. India is in Pool D together with England, Spain, and Wales out of the four pools made up of 16 teams.
The top four teams from each pool advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the remaining eight teams from the four pools face off in cross-over matches to determine which team advances to the round of eight.
Pool B is made up of Belgium, Germany, Korea, and Japan, while Pool A consists of Argentina, Australia, France, and South Africa. Pool C consists of Chile, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and New Zealand.
India will play its first two league games on January 13 and 16, with Bhubaneswar hosting 24 games, including the cross-overs, quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship. Rourkela will host 20 games.
“With the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela just a few weeks away, these are certainly exciting times for hockey lovers. All four of the recently laid pitches, which have been approved by FIH, are available for use, which makes me extremely delighted, said HI President Dilip Turkey.
The participating teams and spectators will have access to top-notch facilities at both Kalinga Hockey Stadium and Birsa Munda Stadium. We are appreciative of the Odisha State Government’s efforts to make sure that everyone will remember this World Cup edition.
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