BHUBANESWAR: After the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, which is currently hosting the Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, Odisha has secured FIH certification for another hockey stadium in the state.
Tileikani hockey stadium in Sundargarh district of Odisha has been tested and met the requirements for FIH Category III hockey field certification. The FIH issued the certificate on January 16 and it is valid till December 27, 2025.
This was confirmed by Hockey India (HI), which took to its Twitter handle to announce, “Tileikani Hockey Stadium in Tileikani, Odisha, has been granted the FIH Category III Hockey field certificate. Congratulations! #IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI.”
Odisha Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) also congratulated Hockey India on this achievement. The CMO tweeted, “Congratulations @sports_odisha as Tileikani Hockey Stadium in #Sundargarh district received FIH Category 3 Hockey field certificate. The state-of-the-art stadium will further strengthen hockey infrastructure at the grassroots level and nurture talent. #HockeyWorldCup2023.”
Meanwhile, the seating capacity of Birsa Munda International Stadium has been confirmed as the largest stadium for hockey in the world. “No other hockey stadium in the world except Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela has a 21,800 seating capacity,” FIH president Tayyab Ikram had said last week at a press conference ahead of the World Cup.
