Birsa Munda Stadium is the world’s largest field hockey stadium by seating capacity: FIH

Rourkela. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) said that the new Birsa Munda Stadium is the world’s largest hockey stadium by seating capacity and termed it as a ‘work of art’. FIH’s confirmation to PTI also ended the ongoing controversy over the 21,000-capacity stadium, which started after the Odisha government claimed it as the world’s largest stadium.

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Named after India’s tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, the state-of-the-art stadium was inaugurated by Odisha government officials who claimed it was the largest stadium in terms of seating capacity. But BJP MLA Shankar Oram rejected their claims saying that it is not the biggest but the fourth biggest stadium in the world. FIH said that this stadium in Rourkela is definitely the largest field hockey stadium by seating capacity. “This stadium is the largest field hockey stadium in the world not only in terms of architecture, but also in terms of art and seating capacity,” FIH said in an email. ,

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World Cup matches began within days of the stadium’s opening, while it has not hosted any senior international tournaments or matches. The world body did not respond to the issue but said it had no doubts about the stadium’s readiness for the World Cup. FIH Senior Communications Manager Nicholas Mengot said, “We were in constant touch with Hockey India and the Government of Odisha regarding the conduct of the World Cup and we had no concerns regarding the preparations at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.” There is no official list of the largest hockey stadiums in the world.