The Indian Arrows project will be sponsored by the Government of Odisha for the upcoming season, a report in the Times of India has stated.
The Odisha government, headed by Naveen Patnaik, has pledged Rs 5 crore to the All India Football Federation’s team of Indian youth internationals, coached by Floyd Pinto. As part of the deal, the AIFF Elite Academy in Goa, which also houses the Under-15 team, will shift its base to Bhubaneswar.
The boarding, lodging and other expenses associated with the two teams, the Under-15’s and the Arrows, will also be borne by the local government as part of this deal. Last year, the Arrows had played three of their home games at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi and the rest in Goa.
The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar had also hosted the AIFF Super Cup, which Bengaluru FC won by defeating East Bengal 4-1. After the Super final, Chief minister Patnaik had announced plans for a ‘world-class’ football stadium constructed in 28 acres near the Kalinga Stadium.
The Hockey World Cup will also be held at the same stadium starting November 28 and during this time, the Arrows will shift to the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The Arrows played five pre-season games, losing two and drawing three.
Odisha also hosted the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 in Bhubaneswar and last year’s FIH Hockey World League finals. The Odisha government is also sponsoring the men’s and women’s hockey senior national teams for the next five years.