Construction of Fapla International Cricket Stadium moves forward

The process of building the Fapla International Cricket Stadium in Dhangadhi has taken a major step forward. The Ministry of Forest and Environment has approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted by the Fapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village Infrastructure Development Committee.

With the EIA now approved, all the legal requirements for the project have been completed. According to committee chair Subash Shah, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and other technical studies were already done, so the project is now ready to move into the construction phase.

The stadium is part of a government-prioritized project aimed at hosting international cricket matches. The construction will go through an international tender process.

Plans include a 50,000-seat international-standard cricket stadium, to be built in phases. The sports village will also include a football ground, swimming pool, track and field facilities, a multi-sports hall, and a sports museum.

Fapla is being developed to establish Dhangadhi as a “City of Cricket.” After the EIA approval, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana shared her excitement on social media, saying:

“The completion of the EIA process and all legal clearances for the Fapla International Cricket Stadium and Sports Village in Dhangadhi is great news. With all technical preparations completed, we are confident that the dream of watching international cricket from our own home ground will soon become reality.”

The project is estimated to cost around Rs. 26 billion and is expected to be completed within five years. It is believed that the successful development of Fapla will not only boost sports and tourism in Sudurpashchim Province but also contribute significantly to Nepal’s national economy.

Once completed, Fapla Stadium will be among the top 10 largest cricket stadiums in the world by seating capacity.