Bhubaneswar warmly welcomed the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup Trophy Tour as it reached Odisha’s capital on Thursday, marking a major highlight in the nationwide journey ahead of the prestigious tournament. The Trophy Tour is part of the build-up to the 14th edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup, which will be hosted by Tamil Nadu from November 28 to December 10 across Chennai and Madurai.

The nationwide Trophy Tour began on November 7 during the Hockey India Centenary Celebrations at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. Covering 20 major cities across India, the tour aims to spark excitement, increase fan engagement, and build national enthusiasm for the upcoming global event. Before arriving in Bhubaneswar, the Trophy had already travelled through 13 cities including New Delhi, Panchkula, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jammu, Lucknow, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Kolkata, Raipur, Ranchi and Patna.

At the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha’s Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik unveiled the Trophy in the presence of Director Sports Dr. Vijay Yeddula, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey, senior DSYS officials, Odisha Hockey representatives, and several Olympians. The event further reinforced Odisha’s deep connection with Indian hockey. The state is known for sponsoring the national hockey teams and has hosted several marquee tournaments, including the 2021 Junior World Cup and the last two editions of the senior Men’s World Cup in 2018 and 2023.

As the Trophy Tour continues its journey, it will next travel to Guwahati, followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram, ensuring nationwide visibility and support ahead of the high-stakes tournament in Tamil Nadu.