Odisha Clinches 2028 Athletics Hosting With Top Infra and Lowest Debt
Odisha has emerged as a benchmark for how strategic sports infrastructure planning can create a world-class ecosystem without financial strain, even maintaining one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios among Indian states.
A place of our own that we can call home is every individual's dream, but the fear of mortgages holds us back from building our house. Odisha flipped this script by winning the bid to host the World Athletics Meet 2028 with its exemplary sports infrastructure planning while maintaining its streak of being the state with the least debt-to-GDP ratio among all states.
Odisha is a perfect example of how strategic sports infrastructure planning can build a dynamic and comprehensive sports ecosystem without being laden in debt.
Economically backward state CM @Naveen_Odisha built better sports infrastructure in in india compared to any another state. He never wanted his state odisha to be debt ridden, with lowest debt to gdp ratio in the country 🙌pic.twitter.com/fLX8bd8Og6 https://t.co/ARrroSuD94
— Dileep Reddy (@DileepReddy125) March 25, 2026
World Class Infrastructure From Grassroots to Global
Odisha houses South Asia's largest indoor athletics stadium at the Kalinga Institute, Bhubaneshwar. Adjacent to this prestige is the next title of having the world's largest hockey stadium at Rourkela, namely the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium. The list of being the top of its kind goes on as Odisha has the largest sports science center in India at their very own Kalinga Institute.
When it comes to international compliance, Odisha hosts India's first FIFA talent academy, as the AIFF FIFA talent complex started in 2023. It also has 6 FIFA-certified football grounds and an additional 25 synthetic athletic turfs spread across the state.
Talk of the urban-rural divide: Odisha has 340 rural mini-stadiums and 140 urban mini-stadiums, highlighting its priority to grassroots infrastructure. It also provides 90 multisport indoor stadiums along with HPC centers for swimming and badminton. An ITF-certified tennis center further adds a cherry on top as it opens prospects to host international events like the Davis Cup and ITF World Tour.
It also provides 90 multisport indoor stadiums along with HPC centers for swimming and badminton. An ITF-certified tennis center further adds a cherry on top as it opens prospects to host international events like the Davis Cup and ITF World Tour.
With its recent hosting of the international volleyball meet at the Kalinga Institute, whereby an indoor beach court was created, Odisha is continuing its streak of emerging as a one-of-a-kind comprehensive sports hub.
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