Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium

Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium also known as Sarusajai Stadium [3] is a football stadium in Guwahati, Assam, India. It is the current home ground of Northeast United FC. Besides hosting football matches, the stadium is also used for athletics. It had a total capacity of 35,000 which was later reduced to 25,000 due to installation of bucket seats for 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which was hosted in India. In 2007, it hosted the 33rd National Games of India and in 2016, hosted the South Asian Games. The stadium hosted the Assam Global Investors' Summit on 3 and 4 February, 2018 and the 65th Filmfare Awards on 15 February, 2020.[4][5]

Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Sarusajai Stadium
The Main Stand of the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in the background while the players of the Indian National Football team and the Laos National Football team warm-up under the floodlights.
LocationSarusajai, Guwahati, Assam
Coordinates26°06′56″N 91°45′37″E
OwnerGovernment of Assam
Capacity25,000[1]
Record attendance32,844 on 20 October 2016, NorthEast United FC vs Chennaiyin[2]
Field size103 m × 70 m (113 yd × 77 yd)
SurfaceGrass
Opened2007
Tenants
India national football team (2011–present)
NorthEast United FC (2014–present)

The stadium recorded the highest attendance for a football game in Assam when 32,844 spectators came to see the ISL match between local club NorthEast United and visitors Chennaiyin on 20 October, 2016.

History

This one-tier multipurpose stadium is located in Lokhra, Guwahati, Assam, Northeast India. There is only a limited number of seats in the main stand however bucket seats are now installed for rest of the stands to conduct the FIFA U17 World Cup, 2017.

The stadium pays tribute to the late Indira Gandhi who was the third Prime Minister of India. An international friendly between India and Malaysia was played at this stadium on 13 November 2011. On 12 March 2015 India played against Nepal for the 2018 World Cup qualifier.

From 2014, it has been the home ground for NorthEast United FC in the newly formed Indian Super League and for which it underwent major renovations. The stadium has been selected as one of the provisional venues for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India in 2017. Further upgrade plans are expected to be put in place like introduction of bucket seats, refurbished media and broadcast box etc.

The stadium was the main venue of 2016 South Asian Games, which was held in both Guwahati and Shillong from 5 to 16 February 2016.[6]

The stadium was also used by I-League champions Aizawl FC (2016-17) of Mizoram and Minerva Punjab FC (2017-18) of Punjab as their home ground for AFC group stage matches.

The stadium has been selected as one of the provisional venues for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup to be held in India in 2020 where it will host the opening.[7]

On March, 2020, the Government of Assam constructed isolation wards during the COVID-19 pandemic in India in the premises.[8]

Major Football Matches

As well as local matches, the stadium has also hosted major national and international matches.

India national football team matches

13 November 2011 International friendlyIndia 1 - 1 MalaysiaGuwahati
Nabi  88' Report Safiq  42' Stadium: Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 20,092
12 March 2015 World Cup QualifierIndia 2 - 0   NepalGuwahati
19:00 UTC+5:30 Chhetri  53', 71' Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)		 Stadium: Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 11,209
Referee: Aziz Asimov (Uzbekistan)
7 June 2016 Asian Cup qual. – POIndia 6–1 LaosGuwahati
19:00 UTC+5:30 Lalpekhlua  43', 74'
Passi  45+1'
Jhingan  48'
Rafique  83'
Cardozo  87'		 Report
Goal.com		 Sihavong  16' Attendance: 2,721
Referee: Jansen Foo (Singapore)
5 September 2019 (2019-09-05) 2022 AFC WC QIndia 1–2 OmanGuwahati
19:30 IST Chhetri  24' FIFA Al-Alawi  82', 90' Stadium: Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 22,798
Referee: Mooud Bonyadifard (Iran)

2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup matches.

8 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageNew Caledonia 1–7 FranceIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
17:00 UTC+5:30
Report
Attendance: 12,640
Referee: Hamada Nampiandraza (Madagascar)
8 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageHonduras 1–6 JapanIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
20:00 UTC+5:30
  • Palacios  36'
 Report
Attendance: 13,285
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
11 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageFrance 2–1 JapanIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
17:00 UTC+5:30
  • Gouiri  13', 71'
 Report
Attendance: 9,575
Referee: Gery Vargas (Bolivia)
11 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageHonduras 5–0 New CaledoniaIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
20:00 UTC+5:30
  • Mejía  25', 42'
  • Canales  27'
  • Palacios  51', 88'
 Report Attendance: 11,002
Referee: Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)
14 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageFrance 5–1 HondurasIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
17:00 UTC+5:30
Report
  • Mejía  10'
 Attendance: 12,831
Referee: Muhammad Taqi (Singapore)
14 October 2017 U-17 World Cup – Group StageMexico 0–0 ChileIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
20:00 UTC+5:30 Report Attendance: 15,794
Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)

References
  1. https://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5025718/index.html
  2. The official site of Hero Indian Super League | Matchcentre
  3. "FIFA team visits Sarusajai stadium". Assam Tribune. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  4. Singh, Bikash (27 September 2018). "Advantage Assam: Global Investors' Summit has attracted Rs. 8,020.21 crore till now says Chandra Mohan Patwary". The Economic Times. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  5. "Filmfare Awards 2020 All Set To Be Hosted In Guwahati". filmfare.com. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  6. Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (12 December 2015). "India to host South Asian Games (SAG) in Guwahati and Shillong". The Economic Times. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  7. Lokapally, Vijay. "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup: Guwahati to host opener, final in Mumbai". Sportstar. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. "Assam government transforms Sarusajai Stadium into coronavirus isolation facility". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.