Odisha CM receives first Intercontinental Cup ticket from Sunil Chhetri, Igor Stimac

The countdown to Odisha's date with senior international men's football -- the Intercontinental Cup from June 9 -- began on Tuesday with India skipper Sunil Chhetri handing over the first ticket to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Chhetri handed over the ticket for the four-nation tournament, to be played here from June 9-18, in the presence of Shaji Prabhakaran, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary-general, and India team coach Igor Stimac.

The tournament, featuring India, Lebanon, Mongolia and Vanuatu, comes close on the heels of the Men's Hockey World Cup, which was hosted in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

"There is a lot of love for football amongst the people of Odisha. Hosting this spectacular event is another honour for us and will undoubtedly thrill the numerous football fans across the state and India," Patnaik stated in a release.

"I would like to wish the teams the best of luck and encourage the fans to turn out in huge numbers to watch top-quality football that will unfold." Odisha hosted the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022, the SAFF U-20 Championship 2022, ISL seasons, IWL 2021-22, and the Odisha Women's League, thus providing a huge boost to the development of football ecosystem in the state.

Bhubaneswar is also the base of the Indian U16 and U19 football teams, frequently hosting camps and training sessions.

The interest in football in the state continues to grow as the state-partnered Odisha FC, which is based inside the Kalinga Sports Complex, recently brought home the coveted Super Cup.

AIFF's partnership with Odisha FC has enabled the state to build a robust grassroots system. Odisha is also the only state that has two teams competing in the Indian Women's League.

The Intercontinental Cup is set to kick off with Lebanon taking on Vanuatu in the opener, while India will play Mongolia.