Members of Belgium hockey team practise at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 2: The countdown to the Champions Trophy has begun and the excitement is only getting bigger with major international teams arriving here almost everyday.

With barely three days to go for the tournament to kick off, the Pakistan hockey team reached the city this evening.

Officials of the state sports department said the Germans would land here tomorrow for the tourney that will be played at the Kalinga Stadium from December 6.

Spectators have also pushed up the excitement quotient and the organisers are elated with the response. Sale of tickets has shot up with only three days remaining for the tournament to start.

While officials of state sports department said that around 90 per cent of tickets for the three matches, including India, had already been sold, ticket sale for other matches was impressive too. Around four matches would be played everyday.

Speaking about the successful sale of ticket, chief executive officer of Hockey India, Elena Norman, said the organisers were expecting a huge turnout at the event.

“We have received a tremendous response in terms of ticket sales and we are expecting most of the matches will be sold out prior to the commencement of the tournament. The turn out is expected to be excellent,” Norman said. The Kalinga Stadium has a seating capacity of 7,000.

Indian hockey team poses for a group photo at Kalinga Stadium. Telegraph picture

Apart from buying tickets from the counter in front of the stadium, hockey lovers can also book their seats through www.ticketgenie.in.

While the minimum price of the tickets has been fixed at Rs 20, the maximum price of a ticket is Rs 1,000.

One can watch a session in each ticket, which would cover two matches. The stadium had also hosted five matches of the second edition of Hockey India League (HIL) last year.

The stadium was jam-packed despite the home team Kalinga Lancers winning two out of its five home matches.

“The city will definitely make a mark in the field of hockey in coming times. The newly built stadium looks fabulous and it would be a pleasure to watch hockey under floodlights. India is one of our favourite teams and we hope it clinches the trophy in home conditions,” said Arun Shashani, a city resident.

India will play its first match against Germany on December 6. India will play its two matches against Argentina and Netherlands on December 7 and December 9, respectively.