Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 started on Wednesday evening with a spectacular opening ceremony at the picturesque Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
The event was inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and was witnessed by thousands of hockey lovers from across the country and abroad. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram and Hockey India chairman Dilip Tirkey were also present at the ceremony.
FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023's official anthem "Hockey Hai Dil Mera" was performed live by Pritam, the anthem's composer, other stars like ranveer singh, disha patani and K-Pop group BlackSwan also graced the stage with their presence.
The FIH President Tayyab Ikram was joined on the stage by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik, India's Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur, and Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey after the national anthem.
"I love the song "Hockey Hai Dil Mera"! Namaskar to the fans in the stadium! Thank you to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Pattnaik and the people of Odisha. I carry the thanks of the world of hockey and players of hockey from all over. I also wish to thank the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to hockey. I heard everyone mention that Odisha is the land of culture and heritage," FIH President Tayyab Ikram said.
The tournament will be played across two venues in Odisha – Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The matches will be held from January 13 to January 29, with 20 matches to be played at Rourkela and 24 matches, including the final, to be held in Bhubaneswar.
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