Narendra Modi Stadium is an international cricket stadium located in Motera, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. With a total capacity of 132,000, it is the largest cricket stadium in the world and the largest stadium of any kind by capacity globally. It is owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) and hosts both domestic and international cricket, as well as other major events.
Quick Facts
| Location | Motera, Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Originally opened | 1982 (as Sardar Patel Stadium) |
| Rebuilt/reopened | February 2020; officially inaugurated 24 February 2021 |
| Capacity | 132,000 |
| Owner | Gujarat Cricket Association |
| Home team(s) | Gujarat cricket team, Gujarat Titans (IPL) |
| First (new stadium) international match | 24 February 2021, day-night Test, India vs England |
History
The venue was originally built in 1982 as the Sardar Patel Stadium, with an initial capacity of around 49,000. It hosted matches during the 1987, 1996, and 2011 Cricket World Cups, and was the site of several milestones, including Sunil Gavaskar becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket (1986–87) and Kapil Dev surpassing Richard Hadlee’s world record for Test wickets (1994).
In October 2015, under the leadership of then-GCA president Narendra Modi, the Gujarat Cricket Association decided to demolish and completely rebuild the stadium to make it the largest cricket venue in the world. The old structure was torn down, and reconstruction — led by Populous as design architects, with Larsen & Toubro as the main contractor — took about three years at an estimated cost of ₹700–800 crore.
The new stadium first opened to the public on 24 February 2020 for the “Namaste Trump” event, attended by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing an estimated crowd of 125,000. It was officially inaugurated exactly one year later by President Ram Nath Kovind and renamed the Narendra Modi Stadium, hours before hosting its first international match — a day-night pink-ball Test between India and England.
Notable Events
- 2023 Cricket World Cup Final – Australia defeated India in the ODI World Cup final held at the stadium.
- 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup Final – The stadium hosted the T20 World Cup final, where India successfully defended its title.
- “Namaste Trump” (2020) – A large-scale diplomatic and cultural event marking Donald Trump’s visit to India.
- 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket (2023) – A ceremonial event attended by Indian PM Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese during a Border–Gavaskar Trophy Test.
- The stadium is also slated to be used for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
Records
- World’s largest cricket stadium, surpassing the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s approximate 90,000-plus capacity.
- Highest ODI team total at the venue: 365 runs.
- Hosts among the highest-scoring average innings totals of any major venue, reflecting its generally batting-friendly surface with long boundaries (roughly 65–80 metres).
Facilities and Layout
The stadium features 11 stands, including the President’s Gallery, Adani Lower and Upper Pavilions, Club Pavilion, West Pavilion, and multiple GMDC and North/East stands. It includes an indoor cricket academy with dormitories for 40 athletes, six indoor and three outdoor practice pitches, four team dressing rooms, and facilities such as a swimming pool, badminton and squash courts, and a 3D theatre. Parking accommodates roughly 3,000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers, and the venue connects directly to a metro station via skywalk.
Access
Narendra Modi Stadium is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Motera, connected to central Ahmedabad by metro and road, and close to landmarks such as Sabarmati Ashram.
Related Stadiums
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata — India’s oldest cricket stadium, formerly the largest before Narendra Modi Stadium was rebuilt.
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai — hosted the 2011 World Cup final, the tournament Narendra Modi Stadium later hosted in 2023.
- Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot — another major Gujarat cricket venue.
- Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, Raipur — India’s third-largest cricket stadium by capacity.
This article is written in a Wikipedia-style format for reference and general information purposes.
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