In a major development of India’s sports infrastructure, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex in New Delhi is to be demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art sports city spread over 102 acres, Sports Ministry sources told India Today on Monday (November 10). The project aims to introduce a world-class sports facility as India continues to push for the rights to host the 2036 Olympics.
Officials are currently studying infrastructure models from Qatar and Australia — two countries that have built modern, multi-purpose sports ecosystems capable of hosting major global events. However, there is no fixed date for the start of construction. Redevelopment will only begin after the final plan has been assessed and approved.
Originally built for the 1982 Asian Games and later renovated for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has long been one of India’s most iconic multi-sport venues. With a capacity of nearly 60,000, it hosts major athletic events, football matches, major concerts and national ceremonies, including Independence Day events. The stadium has historically served as the home venue for the national athletics team and has been a key landmark in Indian sporting history for over four decades.
It was only earlier this year that the World Para Athletics Championships were held at the JLN Stadium in New Delhi. A Mondo track costing up to Rs 30 crore was laid for the event.
The proposed Sports City is expected to feature elite training facilities, modernized competition venues and high-performance athlete-focused centers designed to international standards. If the project is approved as planned, it will be among the most ambitious modernization of sports infrastructure in the country.
More to follow…
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
November 10, 2025
