Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is a football stadium located in Delhi. It is the national stadium of India and it is named after the first Prime Minister of the country.
The capacity of the stadium is 60,000 and it is the fourth largest stadium in India, 27th largest in Asia and 51st largest stadium in the world.
History
The Government of India constructed the stadium to host the athletic events and ceremonies of the 1982 Asian Games.
It is designed and constructed to meet the international standards for stadiums set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The stadium is a part of the Jawaharlal Nehru sports complex.
The first international game played in this stadium is of India against Australia on Sep 28, 1984.
Major Matches
The stadium has hosted the 1989 Asian Championships in Athletics. The stadium was the main venue for the 2011 South Asian Football Federation Cup.
In 2012, the Government of India and Audi co-hosted a friendly football exhibition match between the Indian national football team and German football giants Bayern Munich at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. India lost 0-4 in what was the farewell match for former Indian football skipper Baichung Bhutia.
Since 2014, it has also been the home ground of the Indian Super League football club Delhi Dynamos. The stadium also hosted eight matches of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Renovation
The stadium was renovated for the 2010 Commonwealth Games for hosting the track and field events and opening and closing ceremonies. The renovation cost of the stadium was around $150 million, making it as the most expensive stadium ever built in India and South Asia.
The stadium was given a new roof, improved seating, and other facilities to meet international standards. The capacity of the stadium was reduced from 78,000 to 60,254. It is also one of the largest membrane roof system in the world. It was opened to the general public on 27 July 2010.
Other Events
In 1984, the stadium hosted two ODI matches between India and Australia, one of which was the first day night ODI match held in India. The running track was used as a part of the cricket playing area.
The stadium has hosted concerts with up to 1,00,000 spectators. The stadium also hosted Amnesty International’s Human Rights Now! Benefit Concert on 1988.
