The Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium (previously known as Motera Stadium) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has set a record for being the world’s largest cricket stadium! Designed by architecture and design firm Populous, the world-class stadium seats up to 110,000 cricket fans, taking over the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s previous title of the largest cricket stadium. Every one of the 110,000 seats in the stadium has uninterrupted 360-degree sightlines of the field and pitch.

“The project provided ongoing opportunities to showcase Queensland’s design talent as well as provide further jobs for additional highly skilled architects while supporting export services to India,” says Paul Henry, Populous Managing Director (APAC). “The vision was to design an iconic stadium for India, a stadium that would bring together as many fans as possible to create an incredible atmosphere for international cricket, IPL matches through to regional and community games.”

Populous’ master plan of the sports precinct includes a community indoor cricket academy housed under the stadium, with a dormitory for up to 40 athletes, six indoor practice pitches and three outdoor practice fields. “Drawing on our expertise with cricket and major sports venues around the world, the bowl design consists of two large seating tiers, each with approximately 50,000 general admission seats designed to fill the lower levels for smaller events and still bring that sense of occasion, the sight and the sound to make every experience a special one,” says Chris Paterson, Populous Senior Principal and Director.

The stadium design features four-team dressing rooms and facilities, state-of-the-art club facilities and a VIP pavilion, three practice grounds for other sports too, an indoor cricket academy, an Olympic-size swimming pool, 76 corporate boxes and a media lounge with press rooms. The stadium was designed and constructed within three years at a cost of USD $100M; with an area spread across a vast 63 acres, which is equivalent to that of 32 Olympic-sized soccer fields put together. A massive parking space within the premises accommodates 3000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers. It is also the first stadium in India where the ground has been fitted with LED lights. Ultimately, the stadium stands as a true testament to India’ centuries-long love affair with cricket.

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