The National Hockey Stadium in Lahore is set for a Rs400 million renovation after the Punjab government approved funding for the venue and its adjoining practice pitch.
What the Rs400 million will pay for
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) confirmed the funding, which the Punjab government and Sports Board Punjab cleared after a special request from the federation, The Express Tribune reported. The plan covers a new Astroturf playing surface that meets international standards, repairs to the stadium’s infrastructure and better training facilities for players. The PHF says it expects the work to be finished by January 2027, which leaves roughly three months from now to the start of that window.
Why the National Hockey Stadium matters
The ground holds about 45,000 spectators and staged every match of the 1990 Men’s Hockey World Cup, in which Pakistan lost the final 3-1 to the Netherlands. It has also hosted several Champions Trophy editions, from the inaugural tournament in 1978 to the 2004 event, along with a World XI series against Pakistan in January 2018.
This is not the first recent investment. After the original turf was removed in August 2022 for a political rally, Geo Super reported in 2023 that around Rs180 million had gone into a replacement surface and wider upgrades. Funding is also reaching the federation itself, since the Punjab government announced a Rs150 million grant to the PHF in June 2026 for grassroots development, coaching and talent identification.
What happens next
Reports so far describe the project in broad terms. They do not give a tender schedule, a contractor or a list of events planned once the venue reopens, and those details will show whether the January 2027 target is realistic. The finished ground may also give the federation a stronger case when it seeks bigger fixtures.
For players, the practical gain is simpler. A good turf and a proper practice pitch let domestic teams train on a surface closer to what they meet in international matches.
