Top News

The Bombay High Court will hear the Mumbai Football Association's petition against changing the Neville D'Souza Football Ground's reservation to an exhibition centre. Political parties have opposed the proposal, arguing the venue is crucial for football and preserving Mumbai's shrinking public open spaces.

Mumbai: The proposed conversion of the iconic Neville D'Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation into an exhibition centre has reached the Bombay High Court, further intensifying the controversy over the future of one of Mumbai's prominent football venues. Days before the proposal is scheduled to be placed before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) House for approval, the Mumbai Football Association (MFA) filed a writ petition challenging the move.

The petition, Writ Petition (L) No. 27020 of 2026, is listed for hearing before the Hon'ble Chief Justice's Bench on Friday, as reported by . The MFA has challenged the proposed amendment to the Development Plan (DP) 2034, which seeks to change the reservation of the 8,450 sq m MHADA-owned plot from Playground (PG) to Exhibition Centre.

Congress, Shiv Sena UBT Oppose Proposal 

The proposal has triggered strong political opposition. On Thursday, a Congress delegation met Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and demanded that the proposal be withdrawn, arguing that the ground should remain reserved exclusively for sports and recreational activities. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi described the ground as a vital part of Mumbai's football ecosystem, claiming that nearly 400 youth clubs, 300 senior clubs and around 8,000 to 10,000 footballers use the facility every year for training and competitions.