Kalinga Stadium Receives Provisional Clearance for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2020

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s iconic Kalinga Stadium in the capital city here has been selected as the first venue to get a provisional clearance for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020.

It has been confirmed by Tournament Director of the Local Organising Committee, Roma Khanna.

“We are happy to give a provisional clearance to the city of Bhubaneswar and confirm them as the first venue for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to be provisionally selected. I would like to congratulate the State of Odisha for being part of what is sure to be a cornerstone event for women’s football in the country,” Khanna said.

“There is work remaining, and the State government has to bring up the stadium and the training sites to FIFA standards. But we are satisfied with the commitment exhibited by the Government to complete all the work that is required to obtain the full ratification,” she said.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020 will enable upgrade the infrastructure to FIFA standards.

Kalinga Stadium, which has hosted several global sporting events in the past, will become the first to host a FIFA competition in Odisha.

Expressing satisfaction over it, Odisha Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera  said, “We feel delighted to announce that Bhubaneswar is the first city to receive the provisional clearance to host the prestigious FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup. It will be the first global football tournament for women in the country and a huge honour for the State to host such a prestigious tournament of the world’s most popular sport.”

“Our girls have proved their mettle in the sports of Rugby, Hockey among others, and I believe that through the football Legacy Programmes we are planning in the State as part of this World Cup, we will be laying a strong foundation for the development of women’s football,” he added.