Bhubaneswar has a multi-use global sports venue called the Kalinga Stadium. Biju Patnaik, an ex-chief minister of Odisha, set the building’s cornerstone in 1978.
Both the I League Club Indian Arrows from 2018 to 2022 and the Indian Super League Club Odisha FC used it as a home venue since it first opened in 2019. It is located in the Nayapalli neighborhood in the center of Bhubaneswar.
It features basketball, tennis, field hockey, wall climbing, soccer, table tennis, swimming, and volleyball opportunities.
The venue also has 8 artificial tracks for athletics and excellent performance grounds. It has India’s first pink and blue water-based AstroTurf that meets Olympic standards.
Kalinga Venue History
The Kalinga Stadium wasn’t built until 2010 despite Biju Patnaik having laid the cornerstone for it in 1978. The nation’s capital is preparing for the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup, which will be held in Bhubaneswar for the 15th time.
The Odisha state government transformed Kalinga Stadium into a worldwide sports center with capabilities for all sports to give the greatest possible sports structure.
New blue turf has been placed on the practice and main pitches by FIH specifications. The stadium’s seating capacity was also raised from 7500 to 15000 thanks to the addition of two new fan galleries at the venue’s east and west sides.
On Oct 10, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik opened the remodeled Kalinga Complex. One of the world’s top venues for athletic events thanks to recent modifications of the highest caliber.
Kalinga Stadium Overview
The Kalinga hockey venue is owned by the Government of Odisha and was built and opened in 1978. This stadium is operated by the Sports and Youth Services. The capacity of Kalinga hockey stadium is 15000, and the highest attendance was 15000 at the start of the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017.
| Owner | Government of Odisha |
| Operator | Sports and Youth Services |
| Capacity | 15,000 |
| Highest Attendance | 15,000 |
| Field Size | 109 m × 72 m (358 ft × 236 ft) |
| Built & Open | 1978 |
| Location | Bidyut Marg, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
Major Events
When the Champions Trophy, a top hockey competition, was held in 2014, the Kalinga Stadium hosted its first major foreign competition. Three years later, it hosted the Odisha Hockey World League Final, which featured the top eight international teams.
The Arena also held national tournaments, including the Indian Super League and Super Cup and the Hockey India League. It is situated in a sizable sports center with pleasant and healthy surroundings.
When the previous venue, Ranchi, decided not to organize the tournament three months before, the government of Odisha earned a reputation for completing the “90 Days Mission” for managing the Asian Athletics Championships 2017.
The city of Bhubaneswar has earned the moniker “Sports Capital of India” thanks to its hosting of several tournaments in a wide range of sports and its development of young athletes.
According to a poll conducted in 2021, Bhubaneswar is among India’s top 5 locations for sports environment and capacity to hold major sporting events, coming in third place.
