Ambedkar Stadium

Dr. Ambedkar Stadium

A view of the stadium in 2011
Former names	Delhi Gate Stadium
Location	Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi
Coordinates	28°38′20″N77°14′31″E / 28.639°N 77.242°E / 28.639; 77.242
Owner	Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) [1]
Capacity	30,000
Field size	101.0 M x 67.5 M
Surface	Grass
Construction
Renovated	2007
Tenants
Delhi FC Sudeva Delhi Delhi Football League Football Delhi competitions

Dr. Ambedkar Stadium is a football stadium in New Delhi, India. ^{[2] [3] [4]} The stadium is named after Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, social reformer and architect of the Indian Constitution. It was earlier known as Corporation Stadium. It has held competitions like Delhi Football League, DCM Trophy, Subroto Cup and Durand Cup. It houses offices of Football Delhi, earlier known as Delhi Soccer Association. It was renovated and reopened in 2007 and has a listed capacity of 35,000. The stadium has hosted international football finals such as the 2007 ^{[5] [6]} and 2009 Nehru Cup. ^{[7] [8]}

In October 2022, I-League side Rajasthan United announced that they will use Ambedkar Stadium as home ground due to unavailability of prominent stadium in their state. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

History

Renovation

India vs Syria on the 2007 ONGC Nehru Cup International Football Tournament

In 2007, the stadium was renovated and floodlights were installed. In August 2007 the stadium hosted its first tournament under floodlights, the Nehru Cup International Football Tournament 2007.

Controversy

At the start of the 2010–11 I-League season Indian Arrows were expected to play its I-League matches at the stadium, but due to the stadium owners, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), holding non-sporting events on the pitch the pitch forced Arrows to play their matches at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurgaon.

Renovation to meet International standards

In 2024, plans were issued by the Delhi Soccer Association to revamp the stadium at an estimated cost of ₹5 crore. The revamped stadium will be equipped with dressing rooms, toilets, cafeterias and media centres. ^[12]

Major matches

India   v   Syria

29 August 2007 2007 Nehru Cup Final	India	1–0	Syria	New Delhi
	Pradeep 44'			Stadium: Ambedkar Stadium Referee: Sikhrakar Surendra (India)

Myanmar   v   North Korea

13 August 2008 2008 AFC Challenge Cup	Myanmar	0–4	North Korea	New Delhi
16:00		Report	Pak Song-Chol 10', 12', 44' (pen.) Ro Hak-Su 53'	Stadium: Ambedkar Stadium Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Khalid Al-Senan (UAE)

India   v   Tajikistan

13 August 2008 2008 AFC Challenge Cup	India	4–1	Tajikistan	New Delhi
19:00	Chhetri 9', 23', 75' Bhutia 18'	Report	Fatkhuloev 44'	Stadium: Ambedkar Stadium Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Valentin Kovalenko (Uzbekistan)

India   v   Syria

31 August 2009 2009 Nehru Cup Final	India	1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p)	Syria	New Delhi
	Renedy 114'	Report	Diab 120+3'	Stadium: Ambedkar Stadium Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Ali Adil (Maldives)
	Penalties
	Lawrence Renedy Chhetri Dias Wadoo A. Ali Surkumar		Rafe Ayan Haj Mohamad Balhous Al Agha Al Hussain Al Aitoni

India   v   United Arab Emirates

28 July 2011 2014 FIFA WC AFC Qualifier Round2	India	2–2	United Arab Emirates	New Delhi
	Lalpekhula 73' Singh 90+2'	Report	Al Shehhi 39' Al-Wehaibi 71'	Stadium: Ambedkar Stadium Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Abdul Malik Bashir (Singapore)

See also

• List of football stadiums in India

References

1. "Ambedkar stadium to host India's World Cup qualifier". The Times of India . 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
2. Sayak Dipta Dey (17 November 2017). "I-League 2017/18 : What does the season have in store?". sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
3. Bharat, Khelchandra (6 July 2016). "Durand Cup 2016: Minerva Academy FC Gets Direct Entry Along With 7 Other Clubs". indianfootballnetwork.com. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
4. Tarafdar, Veronica (30 March 2023). "In the last matchday of the I-League season, teams compete for improved Super Cup qualifying ranking". footballexpress.in. Football Express India. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
5. "Nehru Cup Victory : Moment To Cherish For Indian Football Fans". syndication.bleacherreport.com. Bharanithar. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
6. Media Team, AIFF (15 August 2022). "Indian Football Down the Years: Looking back at the glorious moments". www.the-aiff.com. New Delhi: All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
7. "Hindustan FC wins DSA Senior Division League". The Times of India . 21 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
8. "Hindustan FC hammer Bengaluru FC 4–0". i-league.org. All India Football Federation. 6 February 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
9. DN Jaipur desk (27 October 2022). "राजस्थान यूनाईटेड ने दिल्ली के अम्बेडकर स्टेडियम को बनाया अपना होम ग्राउण्ड" [Rajasthan United made Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium their home ground]. dainiknavajyoti.com (in Hindi). Jaipur, Rajasthan: Dainik Navajyoti. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
10. Shivhare, Shashwat (6 November 2022). "Hero I-League to be a different proposition, says Rajasthan United Head Coach Pushpender Kundu". i-league.org. New Delhi: All India Football Federation Media Team. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
11. Sarkar, Sattyik (21 April 2023). "Rajasthan United to play next I-League season in Jaipur". KhelNow.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
12. "Ambedkar stadium to be renovated to meet international standards". The Times of India. 16 March 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 23 May 2024.

• Norbu, Rinchen (5 January 2014). "No Money, More Problems". millenniumpost.in. New Delhi: The Millennium Post India. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.