Bhubaneshwar will host the World Indoor Athletics Championships 2028. India’s bid to host the meet was approved by the World Athletics Council at its meeting in Toruń, Poland, on Thursday.
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Bahadur Singh Sagoo said the World Athletics Council has allotted the 2028 Indoor Championships to India. “India will host the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar,” the AFI president added. “The global competition will be held at Kalinga’s Indoor Stadium.”
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had revealed its bid for the World Indoor Championships earlier this year. Following India’s bid, a two-member team from World Athletics had visited the indoor facility at the Kalinga Stadium Complex in Bhubaneswar in January before clearing India to host its first-ever World Indoor Athletics Championships.
Odisha is one of the main destinations for track and field in the country, Sagoo said. Apart from domestic competitions, Odisha has also been hosting international competitions.
The inaugural edition of the National Indoor Athletics Championships will be held at Kalinga’s Indoor Stadium on March 24 and 25.
The 2017 Asian Athletics Championships was held at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium. Odisha also conducted the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Level Competition last year in Bhubaneswar, which attracted more than 200 athletes from different parts of the globe.
India’s growing stature in athletics
The World Athletics 2028 Indoor Athletics Championships allotted to India mark the growing stature of Indian athletics.
Indian track and field has been in sharp focus since ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won back-to-back Olympic and World medals.
Steeplechase specialist Avinash Sable clinched silver in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Last week Asian Games bronze medallist Gulveer Singh became the first Indian runner to break 60 minutes for the half marathon (21km) in New York City.
“The Indian athletes have been making a good impression at the global level,” the AFI president added. “We are hopeful more youngsters will earn glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.”
Organised by World Athletics, the World Indoor Athletics Championships is a biennial track and field competition that first took place in 1985 in Paris, France.
India will be fourth Asian nation to host the meet
India will become only the fourth Asian nation to host the World Indoor Athletics Championships. The one in Bhubaneswar will be the 22nd edition of the meet.
Japan was the first country from the continent to host the World Indoor Athletics Championships in 1999, followed by Qatar in 2010 and the People’s Republic of China in 2025.
Meanwhile, the World Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 is set to get underway in Toruń, Poland, on Friday.
However, no Indian athlete will be taking part in the World Athletics Indoor Championships 2026. India are yet to claim a medal at the indoor meet.
USA are the most successful nation in the tournament’s history, having claimed 270 medals over the years, including 113 golds.
