Salt Lake Stadium: Capacity, Size, Events, Tickets and Legacy

Salt Lake Stadium officially known as the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) is a football stadium located in Kolkata, India. The stadium was built as a multi-purpose one as it can also host other events like athletic meets and musical concerts. The stadium built in 1984 was one of the biggest in India. After multiple renovations, the capacity has come down to 85,000. It is still by far the biggest football stadium in India.

The ground is home to some of the biggest and best football clubs in the country while the Indian national football team too has some memorable outings there. Over the years, it has hosted key games, including some high-profile international fixtures. It has a special place in Indian football as some of the best Indian football players regularly played here. As the nation is set to take its next step in its footballing chapter, the Salt Lake Stadium will play a key role in it.

Let us learn more about the famed Salt Lake Stadium, its history, capacity, ticket prices, and upcoming events in the stadium.

Overview of Salt Lake Stadium

Salt Lake Stadium was established in 1984 to serve as an alternative venue for hosting football matches as the game’s popularity skyrocketed in the city. As soon as the new venue was opened, it became a hub for all the big teams of the city. They started playing there regularly in front of huge crowds.

The new facilities also made it an appealing venue for the national team to try their luck. Salt Lake Stadium’s newly made athletic track was a dream come true for up-and-coming stars to perform and thrive on. Through the years, it has hosted multiple national and international tournaments and has become a part of Kolkata’s footballing fabric.

It can easily be called the Mecca of Indian football, given West Bengal’s contributions to Indian football.

Location of Salt Lake Stadium

Salt Lake Stadium is located in Salt Lake City, a satellite township in North 24 Parganas. It falls under the scope of the Greater Kolkata region and is governed by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. The stadium is some 10 km away from the Kolkata downtown and is easily accessible.

Salt Lake Stadium Capacity and Construction

Kolkata was home to some of the best clubs in India. More than 100-year-old clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have always called this city their home. They had their home grounds in the Maidan area of Kolkata. Both these teams rose to fame with immense success in the Calcutta Football League by winning trophy after trophy. Their stadiums had a maximum capacity of 20,000 and used to draw far greater crowds whenever they played.

The nearby cricket stadium of Eden Gardens was used at times to accommodate large crowds, but the stadium was strained with hosting cricket and football games simultaneously. The government of West Bengal came up with plans to construct a large and modern multi-purpose stadium whose primary focus would be hosting key football games. They handed the initiative to M.S. Ballardie, Thompson & Matthews Pvt Ltd. Along with H.K. Sen & Associates, who acted as the architects.

They worked hard and long to create an iconic structure that would redefine Indian football. Engineers built three tiers of concrete galleries with multiple entry gates and ramps for the spectators to move freely. Salt Lake football stadium had an initial capacity of 120,00 at the time of opening. They laid a pitch made out of natural grass. The stadium had modern amenities like a synthetic athletic track, two electronic scoreboards, elevators, VIP enclosures, modern floodlights, and conference halls. Salt Lake Stadium also had its water arrangements and standby generators to ensure no outage ever occurred.

The roof of the stadium was built with special care. It was circular in shape and made out of metal tubes, aluminium sheets, and concrete and the roof could be illuminated at night. After a lot of effort and love, the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata was completed and ready to be inaugurated. It was opened by the then West Bengal Chief Minister Jyothi Basu on January 29, 1984. The stadium was also named after Swami Vivekananda, a legendary Indian philosopher from the city of Kolkata.

The Jawaharlal Nehru International Gold Cup was the first tournament to be hosted at the new ground in 1984. It hosted several other key games in the years that followed.

Renovations of Salt Lake Stadium

The Salt Lake Stadium was regularly renovated to make sure it stayed in touch with modern standards. When India was awarded the hosting rights of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, the stadium’s renovation plans took a turbo charge. Modernization works started in 2014, and the renovation project began in February 2015. A reported budget of Rs 1 billion was granted by the Government and the Sports Ministry of India. One of the first steps was setting up bucket seats to replace the standard concrete benches. It allowed better room for the spectators to move freely but reduced the capacity from 120,000 to 85,000.

The artificial turf, which was a feature for four years from 2011-2015, was replaced. A new pitch was laid with Riviera Bermuda grass above two layers of sand and gravel. The next layer was fitted with perforated pipes to prevent water-logging. The athletic track was renovated for the first time as a German company Porplastic provided the elastic coating. The major changes took place to enhance the user experience and player experience to receive a go-ahead from FIFA for the tournament.

Broadcast rooms and stadium offices were renovated, and multiple new food stalls serving multiple cuisines were set up. New VIP and press boxes were built along with a new press conference room. The stadium’s entry gates were widened and new paths were made.

Two full-sized practice grounds and a new changing room for the players and the referees were also built to make them as comfortable as possible. The Salt Lake Football Stadium, in its renovated avatar, hosted the first few games of the FIFA U-17 World Cup along with the prestigious finals.

Salt Lake Stadium Capacity and Field Size

The Salt Lake Stadium is the biggest football stadium in India. It had an initial capacity of 120,000. After the renovations, it was brought down to 85,000. But still, it holds the crown of being India’s biggest football stadium. The pitch measures 105 meters in length by 70 meters wide and is considerably larger and wider than most football pitches used in Europe.

Key Football Events at Salt Lake Stadium

Domestic Tournaments

Salt Lake Stadium was used as a shared home of all 3 giants from Kolkata. Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan all jumped at the chance to move to the stadium and the bigger clashes in the Calcutta Football League always took place here. This stadium also hosted the Santosh Trophy final multiple times as it was the home of the West Bengal state football team as well.

Numerous Calcutta derbies in the I-League used to take place here and the stadium also used to host the finals of the I-League before the ISL came into play. It held the first-ever game of the inaugural Indian Super League in 2014. The stadium got a chance to host the first-ever finals of that tournament as well in 2015. In 2025, it will be used as the home ground of the three Kolkata clubs in ISL as and when needed.

International Tournaments and Matches

The tournament’s first piece of footballing action was the 1984 Jawaharlal Nehru International Gold Cup. It soon became the home of the Indian national football team as it hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, the South Asian Games in 1987, and the USSR Festival Cup in 1988. International legends like Diego Maradona and Pele descended on the pitch when they visited for various events. However, Lionel Messi, the Argentine legend, actually played a game of football on the pitch at the Salt Lake Stadium.

In 2011, FIFA scheduled a friendly match between Argentina and Venezuela, and Indians got a chance to watch their favorite footballer live. Messi was speechless after the game because of the love he received from the fans. The brilliant reception to that game prompted other clubs to take a look at the stadium as well. German giants Bayern Munich hosted Oliver Kahn’s official farewell match in 2012 at the stadium against Mohun Bagan. Kahn was emotional after the game at the reception he got.

2012 also saw the stadium host another high-profile friendly between Brazil Masters and IFA All-Stars. The real action took place in 2017 as the stadium hosted 11 games of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The tournament saw stars of today like Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Marc Guehi, Rhian Brewster, and Morgan-Gibbs White break out for England as they won the tournament. India also made their debut at the tournament as hosts but were unable to get a single point.

Tickets and Pricing

How to Buy Salt Lake Stadium Tickets

The Salt Lake Stadium’s tickets are officially sold by the clubs on platforms such as Paytm Insider and Book My Show.

Overview of Prices

The prices of tickets start from Rs 50 to Rs 120 for ISL matches. For a better experience, the fans can book tickets closer to the pitch and the prices would go up Rs 3000.

Visiting Salt Lake Stadium

How to reach Salt Lake Stadium

Salt Lake Stadium is easily accessible by road as it is just 10 km away from downtown Kolkata. The stadium, spanning 76 acres, has ample amount of parking spaces. However, it is also serviced by multiple modes of public transport.

The Green Line of the Kolkata Metro services the stadium with a Salt Lake Stadium Metro Station. The stadium is a 10-minute walk from the metro stop. Several local buses also ply in that route. Sealdah Railway Station is the nearest railway station.

Guided Tours: Exploring Salt Lake Stadium

The stadium has no guided tour schedule available online. However, local tour operators can take the visitors on a tour during non-match days for a nominal charge for a full stadium experience.

However, you can choose to explore the stadium on your own as the stadium is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. You can take a walk by yourself inside the premises and visit the museum and souvenir shops.

Nearby Attractions for Football Fans

Kolkata is a significant city in Indian history. It has various landmarks like the Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial, Kali Temple, and Science City just a few km away from the stadium.

Hotels Near Salt Lake Stadium

The fans visiting the Salt Lake Stadium will have no shortage of options to pick their stay from. From cheap options like homestays to luxurious ones like 5-star hotels, plenty of choices are available. Here are a few of them:

• The Lalit Great Eastern Luxury Hotel (5-star)
• ITC Sonar (5-star)
• The Aster Homestay
• Olys Apartment Gariahat

Salt Lake Stadium: Events Beyond Football

Other Events

Salt Lake Stadium served as a venue for athletics too thanks to its world-class track. It hosted the SAF Games in 1987. The stadium also hosted various national-level athletic events in India. It is also a key venue for various dance, music and cultural events in Kolkata. It played host to the opening ceremony of the 2013 IPL Season.

Conclusion

Salt Lake Stadium is considered the Mecca of Indian Football. Indian legends like Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri call the stadium their home. International stars like Diego Maradona, Pele, Lionel Messi, and Phil Foden were left to wonder about the brilliant and passionate response from the crowd.

Structurally, it is a four-star-rated venue by FIFA and will only get better with further renovations planned. The Salt Lake Stadium will be India’s home as the Blue Tigers aspire to become footballing giants and qualify for World Cups and Asian Cups regularly in the not-so-distant future.