Hundreds of players, coaches, and parents gathered in Bandra to oppose a BMC proposal to redevelop the Neville D'Souza Football Ground into a convention-cum-exhibition centre.
Hundreds of footballers, coaches, parents, and supporters gathered at the Neville D'Souza Football Ground in Bandra on Sunday, August 23, 2026, to protest against a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposal to convert the venue into a convention-cum-exhibition centre.
Protesters warned that the redevelopment would eliminate one of Mumbai's few accessible football grounds and impact thousands of players ranging from young children to senior footballers. In use since 2018, the facility hosts training, school tournaments, and league matches from 6 a.m. until late at night.
Nigel Neville D'Souza, son of the late Indian footballer Neville D'Souza, stated that nearly 14,000 people from age five onwards play on the ground. Coaches warned that losing the facility would severely disrupt training schedules and next season's planning. Rajkumar Ashappa, head coach of Rafa Football Academy and Mumbai Warriors FC, noted that officials offered oral assurances of an alternative ground but provided no details on where or when it would be made available.
Youth players also voiced concerns over their future in the sport. 15-year-old Waseem Yasin Khan of the BFC Neville Boys team questioned how players could pursue careers without nearby facilities, while 15-year-old player Deep Harmalkar noted that losing the ground would require players to travel long distances for Division Two matches.
The Mumbai Football Association (MFA) strongly opposed the proposal. MFA Vice-President Nasir Hussain highlighted the city's shortage of grounds, while former India goalkeeper and Real Kashmir goalkeeping coach Mohammed Yusuf Ansari appealed for the ground to be protected. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MFA President Aaditya Thackeray also backed the protest, criticizing the privatization and gatekeeping of public sports facilities in Bandra.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.