It’s official. Bhubaneswar is all set to host the prestigious World Athletics Indoor Championships 2028, in a first not just for Odisha but also the country.
The Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex indoor facility, the spotlight for the sporting extravaganza scheduled to be held on March 28, was selected after an inspection by a two-member World Athletics team in January this year.
The selection is also a testament to Bhubaneswar becoming the sporting destination for track and field athletics in India.
It is noteworthy to add that apart from the 2017 continental event, the Kalinga Stadium hosted the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Level Competition last year, which attracted more than 200 athletes from different parts of the globe. It will also be hosting the inaugural National Indoors Athletics Championships starting today. The two-day national event could be the warmup for the worlds event in two years. Organised by World Athletics, the World Indoor Athletics Championships is a biennial track and field competition that first took place in 1985 in Paris.
The Big Q: Why has Odisha emerged as a sporting destination in the last few years?
Well, the story began with Odisha’s association with international hockey. The state government became the official sponsor of the International Hockey Federation events and even sponsored the Indian national hockey teams. More importantly, Odisha successfully hosted the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 and the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023, bringing global attention and thousands of foreign visitors. Very few Indian states have hosted world-level sporting events of this scale.
Secondly, infrastructure has played a significant role. The state built world-class facilities like the Kalinga Stadium, which is now one of India’s top high-performance sporting centres. The Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, yet another infrastructural marvel, is one of the largest hockey stadiums in the world. These facilities have given the state an added advantage by becoming training centres used by international athletes.
Besides, by setting up high performance centres in partnership with global sporting bodies and companies to train athletes in athletics, hockey, football, weightlifting and sports science, the state has successfully invested in grassroots development. This in turn has also attracted international athletes to come here and train.
Moreover, the government’s consistent policy towards sports is one of the biggest factors. By following a long-term sports policy since 2015, focusing on infrastructure, coaching, sponsorship and organizing international events, the state has given a strong message on its seriousness about its emphasis on sports, unlike many other states where policies change with government. This policy continuity has lent credibility at the global level.
Significantly, the emergence of Odisha as a global sports destination has impacted not just sports but also the state’s economy. They include:
Tourism and Hospitality
Big sporting events work like tourism advertisements for the state. Case in point was the hosting of Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018, Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 or the India and England ODI in 2025. These events witnessed thousands of foreign visitors, teams, media, and fans, which in turn saw a surge in hotel bookings, restaurant business, local transport, and tourism to places like Puri and Konark.
Infrastructure Development
Mega international events are also an opportunity to improve their infrastructure, which becomes visible through improved roads, airports, street lighting, public transport and city beautification. Bhubaneswar, for example, got a face lift, especially around the Kalinga Stadium, ahead of the Hockey Championship. Similarly, Rourkela’s infrastructure improved for the better as the players assembled for the Hockey tournaments that were played at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium. Post events, this infrastructure is used by the public and industries, which helps overall economic development.
Employment Generation
One of the positive impacts is witnessed in the job sector as it creates both direct and indirect employment such as coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, event managers, media professionals, hotel staff, transport operators, security personnel, and construction workers. A sports event economy creates thousands of short-term and long-term jobs.
Investment and branding
It also helps in building an international brand, attracting investors, who prefer investing in places that are globally visible, well connected, and have good urban infrastructure. Besides, it also boosts local economy as it helps local artisans, taxi operators, and street food owners to make money.
In a state long dependent on mining and agriculture, sports is emerging as a new growth engine that creates jobs, builds cities, attracts tourists, and puts Odisha on the global map. The real success of Odisha’s sports policy will not be measured in goals scored, but in hotels filled, flights landed, jobs created, and cities transformed.
