Hyderabad’s Balyogi Stadium Gears Up For FIH Hockey Women's World Cup Qualifiers 2026
G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Gachibowli is being upgraded to host the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup Qualifiers 2026, with ₹14 crore spent mainly on new AstroTurf and infrastructure improvements.
On 27th December 2025, Bharat Art received the Guinness World Record for the largest Kuchipudi dance lesson, featuring more than 5000 dancers from across the country, in the infamous BCG Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
“For infrastructure, we have estimated the cost to be roughly ₹14 crore. More than half of it was for the Astro Turfs. Besides that, the government has sanctioned ₹18 crore for the smooth conduct of the event," said A. Sonibala Devi, vice-chairperson and managing director of the Sports Authority of Telangana.
The stadium has now set its pace to receive its second laurel by hosting the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup Qualifiers 2026, for which makeover processes are underway. The refurbishment was suggested after the hosting of the sub-junior women's national championship in 2024 by Hockey India, as it saw potential in the ground.
🏑 With Hyderabad hosting the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers, the stadium has undergone a major transformation. The old, uneven surface has been replaced with a bright blue astro turf sourced from Portugal, while the adjacent practice field has also received similar upgrades to… pic.twitter.com/1ZIAJ0BjPD
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) March 8, 2026
Infrastructure revamp blueprint
Renovation highlights include the replacement of the old uneven turf with Portugal-imported next-generation WETT Pro Blue Astro Turf, which shall aid water usage in comparison to the traditional ones. Similar upgrades have been carried out across adjacent practice fields. New floodlights have been installed to ease night time matches and meet the broadcasting standards.
The main building has been refurbished to include temporary stands and improved seating capacity. The state government has also received an administrative nod for installing a new hockey academy inside the complex.
Sustainability initiatives
Hockey India has partnered with Adoptrees to plant 50 trees per penalty corner and 100 trees per goal to make the tournament environmentally compliant. The state has also taken initiatives to build the sport by sponsoring teams like Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League 2025-26.
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