Hyderabad used to watch cricket at the old Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, which the Hyderabad Cricket Association did not control. In 2003 the HCA built its own ground in Uppal, in the city’s east: the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, big, modern and floodlit, owned by the association. Uppal Stadium, as everyone calls it, is home to the Sunrisers Hyderabad and lately the IPL’s most extreme batting: 277 for 3 in 2024, then 286 for 6 in 2025. This guide covers matches, schedule, facilities, the pitch behind those scores, records, tickets, and travel.
Uppal Stadium at a glance
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Stadium name | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (Uppal Stadium) |
| Location | Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana 500039 |
| Home IPL team | Sunrisers Hyderabad (since 2013); Deccan Chargers before them (2008 to 2012) |
| Other home teams | Hyderabad men’s and women’s teams |
| Established | 2003 |
| Seating capacity | 55,000 design capacity; 39,200 match capacity |
| Owner / operator | Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) |
| First international | India v South Africa, ODI, 16 November 2005 |
| Internationals hosted | 6 Tests, 10 ODIs, 3 T20Is (to October 2024) |
| IPL matches hosted | 90 by the end of the 2026 season |
| Upcoming IPL matches | IPL 2027 fixtures not yet announced |
| IPL 2027 tickets | Not on sale yet |
| Nearest metro | Stadium station, Hyderabad Metro Blue Line, a short walk |
| Nearest main railway stations | Secunderabad Junction and Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) |
The short version: what to know before you go
- Officially the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, opened in 2003 in Uppal and owned by the Hyderabad Cricket Association.
- Capacity needs care: designed for 55,000, but the current match capacity is 39,200. Most websites quote the bigger figure.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2013; Deccan Chargers before them.
- The batting lately is unmatched: 277 for 3 in March 2024, 286 for 6 in March 2025, and first-innings averages up from 169 to the mid-190s since 2023.
- It hosted the IPL finals of 2017 and 2019; Stadium metro station is a short walk away.
- IPL 2027 fixtures are not announced, and tickets are not on sale.
Why Hyderabad built its own stadium
At Fateh Maidan, the old stadium belonged to others, and dates were negotiated rather than owned. In 2003 the association built its own stadium on about 15 acres at Uppal; its first international followed on 16 November 2005, India v South Africa. Its pitch has twice won the IPL’s best ground and pitch award (2019 and 2024).
Where is Uppal Stadium, and how do you reach it?
The stadium stands on the Inner Ring Road in Uppal, eastern Hyderabad, along the Blue Line metro corridor. Stadium station sits a few hundred metres away; on match nights it is the easiest arrival in the IPL. Secunderabad Junction is 9 to 10 km away, Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) 12 km, and the airport 35 to 40 km across the city. Buses serve Uppal, and parking is limited for a 39,000 crowd. One correction to older guides, including this page’s previous version: the nearest station is not Nagole, the terminus several stops further on. You want Stadium.
How big is Uppal Stadium, really?
The stadium was designed for 55,000, the figure in its own history and the old version of this article. The current published match capacity is 39,200. For a visitor, the match figure is the real crowd: the high thirty-thousands. The league-wide comparison is in our venues hub. Behind the bowler’s arm is the best seat: on this pitch you see the ball come on to the bat. Check the gate and block on your ticket first.
How does the Uppal pitch play?
Flat, true and fast, as recent seasons underline. It offers consistent bounce and pace, and new-ball movement rarely lasts beyond the first overs. Spinners get modest help later on, and evening dew makes bowling second harder. Jaipur’s surface (see our Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch report) is the contrast: it keeps scores honest. Its first-innings IPL average is about 169 across its history, and around 195 since 2023. The full analysis is in our Uppal Stadium pitch report.
Uppal in the IPL: Chargers, Sunrisers and the Orange Army
The Deccan Chargers played here from 2008 and won the league in 2009 in South Africa. When the Chargers were terminated, the Sunrisers Hyderabad replaced them from 2013 and won the IPL in 2016. See our teams hub for the franchise picture and the IPL points table for standings. On 27 March 2024, Sunrisers made 277 for 3 against Mumbai Indians, then the IPL’s highest total; a year later they passed it with 286 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals. Alzarri Joseph’s 6 for 12 here in 2019 remains the IPL’s best bowling figures. India’s 687 for 6 declared against Bangladesh in 2017 is its highest Test total; it also hosted 2023 World Cup matches.
| IPL record at Uppal Stadium | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest team total | 286/6, Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals, 23 March 2025 |
| IPL finals hosted | 2017 and 2019 |
What matches does Uppal host?
Three kinds of cricket fill the year here: Sunrisers’ IPL home matches, usually seven league fixtures; India internationals, allotted by the BCCI’s rotation; and Hyderabad’s domestic season. For IPL 2027 there is no schedule yet. What is confirmed:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Franchise retention lists due | 17 November 2026 |
| Player registration closes | 23 November 2026 |
| IPL 2027 mini-auction | 16 December 2026, Goa |
| IPL 2027 season window | March to May 2027 (tentative) |
Confirmed fixtures will appear on our IPL schedule page.
Can you buy Uppal IPL tickets yet?
For IPL 2027, no. Tickets go on sale only once fixtures are announced and the season’s authorised platform is confirmed; nothing is on sale today. Prices are only real once the booking page shows them, so none are listed here. Our Uppal Stadium ticket guide tracks sale dates; the IPL tickets hub covers every venue.
Ticket warning. Buy only through the platform announced for the match, never pay a seller into a personal account, and treat any 2027 ticket offered before fixtures exist as a scam.
What facilities can you expect inside?
Expect food courts and stalls, drinking water inside (outside bottles are typically restricted at the gate [VERIFY current matchday policy at publish]), restrooms, a large scoreboard and replay screens, and first-aid points. Step-free access varies by stand, so contact the Hyderabad Cricket Association before matchday if you need arrangements [VERIFY current contact route at publish].
Infrastructure backs it up: floodlights and rated practice facilities: a genuinely world-class facility, as the meta description puts it.
Matchday at Uppal: how the evening runs
Take the metro if you can: Stadium station removes the traffic problem. Use the gate on your ticket, arrive early, expect power banks, outside food and large bags to be turned away, and sort food and drink before the first ball. Afterwards, walk back to Stadium station with the crowd.
Uppal Stadium questions, answered
What is the capacity of Uppal Stadium?
Design capacity 55,000; current match capacity 39,200, the figure describing a real crowd.
Which IPL team plays at Uppal Stadium?
Sunrisers Hyderabad, since 2013. Before them the Deccan Chargers played here from 2008 to 2012, winning the IPL in 2009 in South Africa.
How does the Uppal pitch play?
Flat, true and quick: the IPL’s most batting-friendly surface lately, with first-innings averages up from about 169 to around 195 since 2023. See our pitch report.
What is the highest IPL score at Uppal Stadium?
286 for 6, by Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals on 23 March 2025; the lowest is 80, by Delhi Daredevils in 2013.
What is the nearest metro station to Uppal Stadium?
Stadium station, on the Blue Line, a short walk away; Nagole, in older guides, is the terminus.
When do IPL 2027 tickets for Uppal go on sale?
No date has been announced; tickets open after fixtures are published. Our ticket guide tracks announcements.
Two things to take away
Uppal is where Hyderabad’s cricket came of age. Lately it has been louder: two of the biggest totals in IPL history in two seasons, the league’s best bowling figures, and two IPL finals. Practically: matchday capacity is 39,200, 2027 fixtures and tickets are not out yet, and prices exist only on the official booking page. Take the Blue Line, buy only from the authorised platform, and settle in.
Official resources
| Resource | What it is for |
|---|---|
| IPL official website (iplt20.com) | Fixtures and announcements |
| IPL Schedule Updates tickets hub | Ticket guides for every IPL venue |
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