New Delhi, March. 22 (PTI): After a gap of 25 years, India will host the prestigious men's hockey World Cup in 2010, the year when the Commonwealth Games will also be held in the country.

Although India had already been sounded as a possible venue for the mega event, the game's world governing body has now officially communicated to the Indian Hockey Federation.

"The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has allotted the World Cup (men) 2010 to India. The decision has been officially communicated by FIH, after careful consideration of the meticulously prepared bid document of the IHF," IHF Secretary K Jothikumaran said in a press release here today.

The Dhyanchand National Stadium would be the venue of the tournament to be held in February 2010.

IHF Chief KPS Gill said he was positive about the successful conduct of the tournament and renovation of the venue would begin soon.

"I am very positive. The FIH has sent us the proposal. We are being backed by the Indian Olympic Association and we should hold the tournament properly," he told PTI.

"The venue will be ready in time. Three pitches will be there in the National Stadium and all facilities will be in place. The remodelling will start shortly and by 2009 it will be complete," he said.

Gill yesterday met Director General, SAI, Rattan Wattal who assured that the state-of-theart facilities at the National Stadium will be in place well before time.

This is the first time that India would be hosting the World Cup (men) on synthetic surface. The only previous occasion when India conducted the mega event was in Bombay in 1982, which was played on grass.