Shillong isn’t just another city building a stadium. It is the Northeast’s lungs for football in India. Football has lived in the streets, the slopes, and the packed stands of the old Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Polo Ground). But now, the state craves scale, global scale.
‘We will become the football capital of India’: Conrad Sangma
During Asian Confluence’s 6th Kizuna, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma makes it clear that Meghalaya is not just building another stadium; it is making a statement. The football arena at Mawkhanu in New Shillong is on the cards, one that, once completed, will be the largest football-specific stadium in India.
“Meghalaya, unlike the rest of the country, which is very cricket, cricket, focused, so am I! But Meghalaya is football-centric. So everybody here loves football, people love music, that’s how our culture is,” he said, News Ei Samay exclusively reported.
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“And therefore we realised that, and said, well then, we will make Meghalaya and Shillong into the football capital of the country. If anybody thinks about the football, then well it’s gonna be here in Meghalaya. And if you wanna have the finals of whichever biggest tournament you have in the country, well, you're gonna have it in Shilong. So we said we're gonna make that arena the space to ensure that we have the biggest football stadium in the country, wo that we will be able to go towards the goal and target of ours to become the football capital of India.”
The project is pegged at around ₹732 crore. The Mawkhanu project will boast hybrid football turf, a 40,000 seating capacity, a clubhouse with swimming pools, squash courts, and aim to achieve India’s First FIFA Category 1 stadium. Interestingly, the stadium is planned to be structured like a bamboo basket, inspired by the local bamboo crafts and works.
The vision of Sangma is to have a level of infrastructure to host FIFA-level events, AFC competitions and World Cup qualifiers.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, popularly known as Polo Ground, has been the cradle. With a modest capacity of around 15,000, it has hosted I-League nights, ISL matches, and the rise of Shillong Lajong FC.
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Largest stadiums across India, but not always in football focus
Narendra Modi Stadium — over 1 lakh capacity (cricket)
Salt Lake Stadium — ~85 thousand capacity, one of the world’s largest football venues
Eden Gardens- ~68 thousand capacity
Kalinga Stadium — over 55 thousand capacity
