Field hockey, or simply hockey is one of the most popular sports that is played in India. The national sport, hockey enjoys a large fan following in the country. Furthermore, the introduction of leagues such as the Hockey India League has helped further boost the popularity of the sport. One of the earliest sports in which India found global success. Hockey had produced some of the legends of the game, Major Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh, and Udham Singh among others. In this blog, we will look at the top 10 best hockey stadiums in India.
The game of hockey essentially involves two teams with each team playing with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. The objective of the game is to drive the ball with the help of the hockey stick and drive it into the opponent’s net. The match is won by the team that scores the most goals. The hockey matches are played on grass, watered turf, artificial turf, synthetic field, or indoor boarded surface.
10. The Kollam International Hockey Stadium
Located in the city of Kollam in Kerala, the stadium was known to be the first of its kind in Kerala with a seating capacity of over 5,000 spectators. Situated amidst the beauty of Ashtamundi Lake, the stadium has a very scenic vibe, and one must visit it while traveling here.
9. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium
This stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Firozpur, Punjab. Visitors often throng to catch a glimpse of this iconic stadium. Many Indian greats like Major Dhyan Chand, Jograj Singh, Surjit Singh, Gurinder Singh, and Bhagwant Singh have played here. The stadium was previously known by the name, Nehru Park.
8. Maulana Md. Tayabullah Hockey Stadium
Situated in the city of Guwahati, Assam, this stadium has a seating capacity of over 2,000 and has held numerous important matches in the past. The stadium was the hockey venue for the National Games of India in 2007, the 12th South Asian Games in 2016, and the 2020 Khelo India Youth Games.
7. Shilaroo Hockey Stadium
Located in Shilaroo, a small village located about 55 kilometers ahead of Shimla, this hockey stadium is the highest in the world situated at an altitude of over 8000 feet. The stadium was constructed in 2010 by the Sports Authority of India. Furthermore, the stadium boasts one of the most modern facilities for hockey, including synthetic turf, and indoor facilities for handball, volleyball, badminton, and many other sports, and also has a gymnasium and hostel facilities.
6.Kalinga Stadium
Located in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, this hockey stadium serves as a multipurpose stadium. With a seating capacity of over 16,000, the stadium was founded by the former Chief Minister of Odisha Late Biju Patnaik in 1978. One of the biggest hockey stadiums in the country, it serves as the home base for the Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League. Furthermore, the hockey arena of Kalinga stadium boasts of hosting events such as Men’s FIH Pro League 2020, Men’s and Women’s Olympic qualifiers 2019, Hockey Champions Trophy 2014, and Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 to name a few.
5.Major Dhyan Chand Stadium
Previously known as the National Stadium, in the year 2002, it was renamed Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium after the legendary figure. Located in Delhi, it was built as a multipurpose stadium by Maharaja of Bhavnagar in 1933 and was originally intended as a gift for Delhi and was named ‘Irwin Amphitheatre’. The stadium underwent the name change to The National Stadium in 1951 before the Asian Games. It has a seating capacity of 16,200 and has three synthetic pitches – two in line with international standards and one for practice.
4. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium
Also known by the name of Raipur International Stadium, it is located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. After the Rajnandgaon International Stadium, this is Chhattisgarh’s second astroturf stadium. Built-in a record time of over four months, the hockey stadium was inaugurated in November 2015; boasting a seating capacity of over 4000 individuals. The first-ever match played in this stadium was between India and Australia, which ended in a stalemate.
3. Chandigarh Hockey Stadium
Next up is the Chandigarh Hockey stadium. One of the largest stadiums in the country, this venue boasts a seating capacity of over 30,000 people. This stadium served as the home ground for the Chandigarh Dynamos and Chandigarh Comets in the Premier Hockey League and the World Series Hockey respectively. First built in 1988, the stadium underwent renovation in 2007. The hockey Stadium has also played host to various tournaments such as the Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup, Asian School Hockey, etc.
2. Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium
The newly constructed Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela was the second venue for the 2023 Hockey World Cup. The Birsa Munda Stadium has a capacity of 20,846 and is one of the largest hockey stadiums in India. It is officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest fully seated hockey arena in the world on January 2023. It has a seating capacity of over 20,000 permanent seats.
1. Mohali International Hockey Stadium
Starting off the list, we have the Mohali International Hockey Stadium. This stadium served as the home ground for the Punjab Warriors during the Hockey India League. Inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Punjab, Prakash Badal Singh in September 2013. The construction of the stadium commenced in 2011. With a seating capacity of over 13,500 people, the unique feature of the stadium is the pink and blue astroturf. It’s also worth mentioning here that during the Covid times, this stadium served as a makeshift jail for the people who broke the lockdown rules. They were kept here temporarily.