Bhubaneshwar: With the Intercontinental Football Cup’s third edition fast approaching, Sunil Chhetri-led Indian Football Team have arrived in Odisha to begin their preparations for the prestigious competition. India, ranked 101 in the most recent FIFA Rankings, will be up against Lebanon, Mongolia, and Vanuatu from June 9-18 during the FIFA International Window at the Kalinga Stadium here.
This will be the third edition of the Hero Intercontinental Cup, with the previous two held in Mumbai (2018) and Ahmedabad (2019). The four-nation tournament will also serve as the preparatory event for the SAFF Championship 2023, which is set to commence from June 21 in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, India Football Team Coach Igor Stimac shared his views on the upcoming Hero Intercontinental Cup and said, “India are one of the most formidable teams in Asia and it’s beneficial for them only to test themselves against the teams like Lebanon, Mongolia, and Vanuatu who also do share a reputation of being strong sides.”
“Moreover, Bhubaneshwar has one of the best grounds and infrastructures in the country, hence playing here will surely help us in our preparations for our upcoming major tournaments,” he added.
Notably, Bhubaneswar is not only growing as the sports hub of the country swiftly but it is starting to make its way onto the country’s expanding map of international football sites especially after the city hosted the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 at the Kalinga Stadium, which has emerged out as cutting-edge sports arena in the recent years and has successfully hosted numerous top-level sporting events.
Furthermore, Bhubaneswar has seen a huge rise in interest in football especially after Odisha FC were crowned Hero Super Cup champions recently.
