Kharghar Sports Academy Demands Opening of Unused Football Centre in Navi Mumbai
On July 2, 2026, the Kharghar Sports Academy urged the Maharashtra government to open the Football Maharashtra Centre of Excellence in Sector 33, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, to the public. Academy President Kiran Prakash Patil submitted a representation to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, alleging that the state-of-the-art facility has remained largely unused for the past four to five years despite being constructed with public funds.
According to the academy, crores of rupees from the public exchequer were spent to establish the Centre of Excellence to provide world-class infrastructure for football players in Maharashtra. However, the academy claimed that the facility has remained closed for most of the time since its completion, depriving local athletes, students, youth, and football enthusiasts of access to quality sports infrastructure.
The academy highlighted that hundreds of aspiring footballers from Kharghar and neighbouring areas currently lack access to a professional-grade football ground for training and practice. Opening the facility to the public would help nurture sporting talent, strengthen the football culture in the region, and support the development of players capable of competing at the state and national levels.
In the memorandum submitted to the state government, the academy outlined four key demands to resolve the issue. First, it sought the immediate commencement of regular operations at the Football Maharashtra Centre of Excellence. Second, it requested permission for local football players, students, sports organisations, and football enthusiasts to use the ground by paying a nominal user fee.
Additionally, the academy demanded the introduction of a transparent booking system and uniform access rules to ensure equal opportunities for all users. Finally, it called for the formulation of a policy to maximise the utilisation of the publicly funded facility for the benefit of sportspersons and local residents.
Patil noted that the Maharashtra government has undertaken several initiatives to promote sports. He stated that ensuring the effective use of the Kharghar football facility would align with those objectives, urging the Chief Minister to direct the concerned departments to take immediate steps to make the Centre of Excellence accessible to the public.
