Ahmedabad's path to becoming India's foremost sports city has received a major boost, as per reports, with the city's SVP Sports Enclave braced for five new international-level arenas, including an Olympic-quality football stadium
Following the success of the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, the largest cricket amphitheatre in the world, Ahmedabad is now set to erect five more international-quality stadiums, including one Olympic-level football arena - according to a report by Desh Gujarat. The new development plan will be spread across the Sardar Vallabhbhai Sports Enclave, which currently houses the 130,000-capacity cricket ground. (Football News)
The crowning jewel among the new, upcoming stadiums will be the international standard football stadium, which may even rival the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar for the Indian football team games. The report claims that the new football arena and the four other projects have already been greenlit by the Central and State Governments. As such, the process has moved to the second stage, with the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority inviting tenders for the construction jobs.
Ahmedabad's emergence as a sporting city is no coincidence. With the Indian Government keen on hosting the Olympics in 2036, the Gujarat-based site is a contender to absorb the sporting and infrastructural burden, given its push towards becoming the key destination for everything concerned.
"Indians are very excited about hosting the Olympic Games. India will leave no stone unturned in organising the 2036 Olympics," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in the past.
"This is a dream of 140 crore Indians. We want to fulfil this dream with your support. We are willing to host the 2029 Youth Olympics. I am sure India will get constant support from IOC."
Meanwhile, Thomas Bach, the current President of the International Olympic Committee, believes that to be a realistic possibility, and was quoted saying as much in a recent visit to India.
“Yes, there is a strong case, seeing how India is flourishing and developing and how India now is embracing Olympic sports. So, there is great potential for both. India can play a much more important role in the Olympic movement and for the Olympic movement to have such a growth potential as with India. It’s of course very welcome,” Bach had said.
India and Ahmedabad are also being discussed as a potential destination for the 2026 Commonwealth Games following Victoria's withdrawal as hosts.