Why Hyderabad's proposed 'biggest cricket stadium' has sparked outrage

· Yahoo Sports

A brand-new cricket stadium in Hyderabad is reportedly set to claim the title of the world's biggest.

However, instead of celebration, the announcement has triggered a wave of criticism from sports fans as other sports like football and hockey keep getting second-class citizen treatment from the authorities. 

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The foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in December 2026, with the state providing the land while the BCCI foots the bill for construction and long-term upkeep.

While officials are framing this as a landmark project that could rival grounds like Lord's, critics see it differently, pointing to football and other sports infrastructure crumbling elsewhere in the country while yet another oversized cricket venue gets the green light.

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Hyderabad set to have biggest cricket stadium in the world

The Telangana government, under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, is reportedly moving forward with plans for a massive international cricket venue as part of its ambitious Future City development.

Once complete, the ground is expected to surpass the 1.32 lakh capacity of Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, which will make it the largest cricket arena anywhere in the world.

Telangana will hand over prime land within the Future City zone, while the BCCI takes on full responsibility for construction costs and ongoing maintenance. Preparations are already moving quickly, with authorities targeting a grand foundation-laying ceremony in December 2026.

A planned Hyderabad Metro Rail extension would link the venue directly to the rest of the city, which would position it as the centrepiece of a broader Sports City initiative tied to Telangana's tourism and infrastructure ambitions.

Why has the new cricket stadium sparked outrage

Not everyone is convinced this is money well spent.

Joy Bhattacharjya, a well-known figure in Indian sports media and industry, didn't hold back in his criticism, arguing the project makes little practical sense given how rarely such a massive venue would actually be used.

"This is a terrible idea. The current stadium is more than enough for cricket needs. Making another massive cricket stadium in a city that already has a very decent one, just for 7 IPL games and one odd rotation international match every 3 years is a criminal waste of money," he wrote, suggesting the funds would be better spent on smaller, multi-purpose facilities or improving cricket infrastructure across Telangana's districts instead.

Former hockey Olympian Viren Rasquinha was equally vexed and put out that Mumbai's own football legacy is quietly disappearing even as cricket infrastructure keeps expanding. "Mumbai had a culture of Many players from Mumbai like Merwyn, Somaya, Joachim, Gavin, Jude, Adrian, Walmiki, myself were Olympians. Today Mumbai does not have even 1 full-size turf pitch. Even a training pitch-forget the stadium & 1L + cricket stadiums are being built," he wrote.

Football ground named after Olympian under threat

That frustration ties directly to an ongoing situation in Mumbai.

The Neville D'Souza Football Ground in Bandra West, spread across roughly 8,450 square metres, was opened in 2018 after being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority with FIFA-standard artificial turf.

It was named after Neville D'Souza, the first Asian footballer to score a hat-trick at the Olympics during the 1956 Melbourne Games. The venue seats around 5,000 and has become central to Mumbai's grassroots football scene since it opened.

Following the loss of several other football venues around the city, including the historic St Xavier's Ground in Parel, this ground has become Mumbai's only major dedicated football facility. It stays busy year-round, reportedly hosting nearly 400 youth teams and around 300 senior clubs, with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 boys and girls training and playing there regularly.

That future now hangs in the balance. On June 24, 2026, the BMC's Improvements Committee approved a proposal to change the land's designation from "Sports Ground and Playground" to an "Exhibition Centre" or Convention Centre. The plan still needs approval from the General Body, followed by a public objection period and final clearance from the Maharashtra government.

Authorities argue the plot was originally earmarked for a convention complex back in the 1983 Bandra Reclamation layout, with MHADA, which owns the land, pushing for the change due to a lack of dedicated exhibition space in the area. 

ISL club Mumbai City FC may be forced to change base

Mumbai's football infrastructure woes seem to have no end as Mumbai City FC may be forced to relocate their home ground ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season after the BMC proposed a steep 250 per cent rent hike at the Andheri Sports Complex.

The Mumbai Football Arena previously cost the club roughly ₹10 lakh per fixture, but the revised fee structure would push costs for their ten scheduled home matches well beyond sustainable levels.

There have been talks between the club and municipal officials as both sides search for a workable compromise. There has been a broader financial strain across Indian football, after Football Sports Development Limited chose to walk away.  It has only added pressure, with clubs now bearing costs for seat maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, and year-round turf care independently.

Mumbai executives are reportedly already exploring backup venues in Goa and Kerala.

Biggest cricket stadiums in the world - Top 5

RankStadiumLocationCapacity1Narendra Modi StadiumAhmedabad, India1,32,0002Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)Melbourne, Australia~100,0243Eden GardensKolkata, India~66,000 to 68,0004Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket StadiumNaya Raipur, India65,0005Perth Stadium (Optus Stadium)Perth, Australia~61,266

Once completed, Hyderabad's proposed venue would knock Ahmedabad off the top spot entirely, further widening India's already dominant presence among the world's largest cricket grounds, even as other sports across the country continue struggling for basic, functional infrastructure.

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