Tamil Nadu Releases ₹261 Crore to Build Global Sports City in Semmancheri

The Tamil Nadu Government has officially released ₹261 crore through a landmark government order dated October 27, 2025, to transform a 42.2-acre plot in Semmancheri into India’s next Global Sports City, two years after the project was first announced on the floor of the Assembly during the 2023-24 budget session. The funding is split into ₹30 crore for the ongoing financial year 2025-26 and ₹231 crore for 2026-27, with the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority designated as the executing agency.

The first phase will deliver world-class infrastructure including a full-sized FIFA-standard natural turf football stadium, dedicated ranges for shooting and archery, a multi-discipline aquatics centre, water sports facilities on a conserved lake, skateboarding parks, and a climate-controlled multipurpose indoor arena capable of hosting basketball, badminton, and combat sports. The master plan also incorporates outdoor stadiums, extensive spectator seating, athlete hostels, and advanced training amenities designed to meet international federation standards.

To ensure year-round usability, the Water Resources Department has been allocated ₹55 crore for comprehensive flood mitigation and site elevation works involving 3.5 lakh cubic metres of earth-filling sourced sustainably from the deepening of nearby water bodies. Additional measures include widening approach roads, constructing peripheral storm-water drains, creating new retention tanks, and relocating high-tension electricity lines to guarantee uninterrupted power supply during major events.

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The entire layout emerged from an exhaustive techno-economic feasibility study conducted by a consortium led by global property consultant Knight Frank and Mumbai-based Collage Design Private Limited. The consultants evaluated every Olympic and Paralympic discipline, mapped existing gaps in Chennai’s sports infrastructure, and benchmarked the proposed facilities against leading global venues in Dubai, Sydney, and Singapore.

Once completed, the Global Sports City is expected to position Chennai as South India’s preferred destination for marquee tournaments, continental championships, and pre-Olympic training camps, directly competing with the Union government’s parallel plan to build a similar mega-complex in New Delhi after demolishing the existing Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

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