NEW DELHI: The iconic Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium, a landmark of Delhi’s sporting landscape since the 1982 Asian Games, is set for a complete transformation. The Union Sports Ministry is considering a proposal to demolish and rebuild the 102-acre complex into a world-class sports city, officials confirmed on Monday.
The redeveloped facility will serve as a multi-disciplinary sports hub equipped with cutting-edge infrastructure for training, competitions, and athlete accommodation.
“The project is currently at the proposal stage. It will require consultations with other ministries, including Urban Development. Timelines and cost estimates are yet to be finalised,” a senior ministry official said. “However, a decision has been taken to dismantle and redevelop the existing JLN Stadium into a premier sports city.”
According to officials, the planned redevelopment draws inspiration from Qatar’s Aspire Zone (Sports City) in Al Rayyan, near Doha — a sprawling multi-sport complex built in 2003 that became central to Qatar’s successful 2022 FIFA World Cup bid.
Last week, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attended the World Summit for Social Development in Qatar, where he toured the Aspire Zone. Officials said Mandaviya was “highly impressed” with its facilities and discussed its design and development process with Qatari authorities.
A delegation from Qatar is expected to visit Delhi soon to assess the feasibility of the JLN redevelopment and help prepare a roadmap for the project.
The ministry also plans to study two other major sports infrastructure projects for reference — Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, which hosts cricket, rugby, football, and soccer; and Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, a 650-acre complex that includes the Narendra Modi Stadium and other Olympic-standard facilities. The Gujarat project cost around ₹5,050 crore.
“Currently, only about 28% of the JLN complex’s 100-plus acres is optimally used,” an official noted. “Offices of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), and the Income Tax Department will be relocated when the project begins.”
Built for the 1982 Asian Games and refurbished ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games at a cost exceeding ₹900 crore, the JLN Stadium has hosted several major international events — including the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the recent World Para Athletics Championships, which saw participation from 2,200 athletes across 104 countries.
Earlier this year, the stadium underwent a ₹80-crore renovation, which included the installation of a blue nine-lane Mondo synthetic track worth ₹25 crore.
Currently, the stadium serves as a venue for athletics and football, and houses academies for archery, badminton, and table tennis.
