Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday graced the Men's FIH Pro League 2023/24 match between India and Spain at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium here and wished the teams the very best.
The stadium atmosphere was vibrant with hockey fans cheering to see the Chief Minister along with their favourite teams on the turf.
Expressing his delight on the return of International hockey in Odisha, Patnaik said, "It is with great pleasure I once again welcome the hockey fraternity to Odisha. The World Cup 2023 was a huge success, and since then the enthusiasm for hockey has been on the rise.”
Odisha’s partnership with Hockey India through the years has played a significant role in bringing the best of hockey tournaments to the country and creating a holistic ecosystem.
The Indian Men's Team will face Netherlands, Spain, Australia and Ireland in their home matches from February 10 to 16 in Bhubaneswar. They will then shift to Rourkela for their return fixtures taking place between February 19 and 25.
Meanwhile, the women's team will play the return fixtures against United States of America, China, Netherlands and Australia from February 12 to 18.
