Odisha Mining Corporation, a public-sector mining company in the Indian state of Odisha, has agreed a deal to sponsor the upcoming Hockey Men’s World Cup.
The competition will be held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, from November 28 to December 16. OMC will serve as an official partner of the event.
The state government of Odisha earlier this year signed a major sponsorship deal with Hockey India and OMC’s World Cup deal extends the state’s support of the sport on a national and international level. Hockey India will serve as the host federation for the World Cup, which is sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Odisha’s five-year deal with Hockey India, signed in February, marks the first time that an Indian state has sponsored the national hockey team. An Odisha-branded logo features on the front of India’s men’s and women’s national teams as part of the agreement.
This year’s World Cup will mark the third time that India has hosted, with Bombay and New Delhi having staged the event in 1982 and 2010, respectively. Australia is the defending champion.