After Hockey, Asian Games, Kalinga Stadium to host Indian Super League

Bhubaneswar: After hockey, the Kalinga Stadium is most likely to play host to Indian Super League (ISL), the top professional soccer league of the country.

Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera informed that Jamshedpur FC has proposed to adopt Kalinga Stadium as its second home ground.

“After hockey, it is time for football to shine in Odisha! @JamshedpurFC willing to adopt Kalinga Stadium as its home venue for two matches in @IndSuperLeague,” tweeted Odisha Sports and Youth Affairs department.

The ISL Season-4 started on November 17.

Tata Steel backed Jamshedpur FC may play two of its league matches here in February next year.

If everything goes as per the plan, Jamshedpur FC will face North East United FC and Bangalore FC on February 10 and 25 respectively.

A three-member grounds technical committee has already visited Kalinga Stadium.

All 10 teams will play each other in a home-and-away format in 90 games before the two-legged semi-finals which are scheduled to take place in the second week of March in 2018.

Odisha has already scripted its name in the global sports map by organising Asian Athletics Championship in July this year and Men’s Hockey World League in December. It is all set to hold the Hockey World Cup next year at Kalinga Stadium here.