Sports

Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium Chennai: History and Play

Egmore's 8,670-seat hockey stadium has hosted three big events in three years. Its history, the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy final and how local players get on the turf.

19 October 2026

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Updated 2026-10-29, 2:05 AM

The Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore seats 8,670 people and is owned and run by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). It opened in 1995 and in the last three years alone has hosted the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, the 2025 FIH Men’s Junior World Cup and Hockey India League matches in January 2026, according to the FIH and match reports.

It is also a working ground. The FIH venue page describes it as the home of the Chennai Hockey Association’s divisional league, and SDAT holds hockey hostel trials there. Here is the stadium’s story and how to get on to its turf.

Three decades of big tournaments

The stadium was ready by the end of 1995 and was given a full upgrade in 2005. Its record of international events, as listed by the FIH, includes:

1996 and 2005: Men’s Champions Trophy.
2007: Men’s Asia Cup, won by India.
2012: base of the Chennai Cheetahs in World Series Hockey.
August 2023: Asian Champions Trophy.
November to December 2025: FIH Men’s Junior World Cup, shared with Madurai.

Before the 2023 event, Hockey India said a brand-new main pitch and a half-court turf for five-a-side hockey were being laid, with dressing rooms, officials’ rooms and floodlights brought up to FIH standards, the FIH reported. The state’s 2024-25 sports policy note adds that the Kalaignar Centenary Pavilion opened on 28 July 2023.

The 2023 Asian Champions Trophy

From 3 to 12 August 2023, six teams (India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan and China) played at Egmore. The policy note calls it the first international hockey tournament in Chennai in 16 years.

The final was the one Chennai fans still talk about. India were two goals down to Malaysia and came back to win 4-3, with Akashdeep Singh scoring the winner in the 56th minute, for a record fourth Asian Champions Trophy title, the FIH reported. Harmanpreet Singh finished as top scorer with nine goals. The state government later gave each Indian player ₹5 lakh and each coach and support staff member ₹2.5 lakh, a total of ₹1.10 crore, according to the policy note.

Since then: Junior World Cup and the HIL

The FIH Men’s Junior World Cup brought 24 teams to Chennai and Madurai in late 2025. India opened with a 7-0 win over Chile at Egmore on 28 November, News On AIR reported. In the final, played in Chennai, Germany beat Spain 3-2 in a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw for their eighth title, while India took bronze by beating Argentina 4-2, News On AIR reported.

A month later the stadium became home to Tamil Nadu Dragons in the men’s Hockey India League. They opened their campaign there by beating Hyderabad Toofans in a shoot-out after a 3-3 draw, The Bridge reported.

Playing hockey in Chennai

For local players, the stadium matters most as the centre of club and school hockey. There are three main routes in:

Club and league hockey. The Chennai Hockey Association’s divisional fixtures are played here. Joining a registered club, college or company team is the usual way into the league.
State leagues. The Tamil Hockey League 2026, which started on 9 August with 12 teams, ended with SDAT’s Sports Hostel of Excellence winning the men’s title over Indian Overseas Bank and SRM Institute winning the women’s, DT Next reported. It was the first local league in the state to use video referrals.
SDAT sports hostels. Hockey trials for SDAT’s hostels have been held at the stadium itself; in 2024 they were listed there alongside football at Nehru Stadium and cricket at Ashok Nagar, DT Next reported. Trials normally take place in May, with applications on sdat.tn.gov.in.

The stadium is a short walk from Egmore railway station. International events are ticketed through the platforms the organisers name.

Quick answers

How many people does Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium seat?

8,670, according to the FIH and the state’s 2024-25 sports policy note.

Who won the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai?

India, beating Malaysia 4-3 in the final on 12 August 2023 for their fourth title.

Can I train at the stadium?

Access is mainly through registered clubs, institutions and SDAT programmes. Contact SDAT or the Chennai Hockey Association about team training slots.

Where is the stadium?

In Egmore, central Chennai, close to Egmore railway station.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.