Watching a Kolkata derby at a chalk-a-block Salt Lake Stadium is an experience of a lifetime for an Indian football fan. And if you happen to be either a Mohun Bagan or an East Bengal supporter then the passion and emotions involved make it even more enthralling and worthwhile.
The Salt Lake Stadium, aka the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, is the biggest stadium in India as it can host around 85,000 fans. However, due to security reasons, the government allows a maximum of 66,000 tickets to be sold.
It was established in 1984 and back then it could officially hold 120,000 spectators. But during a Kolkata derby in 1997, the attendance figures crossed 130,000. It was after the renovation in 2017 for the FIFA U17 World Cup, that its capacity was reduced to its current 85,000 with bucket seats replacing the concrete benches.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, also known as Kaloor Stadium, is the second biggest stadium in India with a capacity of close to 61,000. It is home to the Indian Super League side (ISL) side Kerala Blasters. It was built primarily for cricket in 1996 but soon football matches were being hosted at the venue. The Indian national team played Iraq here in 1997 and nearly 100,000 fans flocked to the stadium which led to massive overcrowding.
It has hosted several international cricket matches and many IPL (Indian Premier League) matches as well.
Which are the 10 biggest football stadiums in India?
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