Popular restaurants are not the only establishments packed on the weekends in the twin cities. Finding a slot to play badminton, cricket, football, pickleball, and other sports on turf fields in and around the city has become a tough task too.
People are booking slots in advance. If someone is persistent, they play late in the night, as some of the turfs are open till midnight, indicating how sports as part of leisure culture is getting woven into Hyderabad’s fabric.
Young students, working professionals, groups of friends, and sometimes people who do not know each other but want to be out for a sport are getting together to play. The result: a large number of turf grounds have come up in the city and its peripheries. People playing on turf covered with green mats, under floodlights, has become a common sight.
People play a late-night football match under floodlights at Game On turf in Hyderabad. File
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHANT THAKUR
“We get people from all backgrounds — IT professionals, businesspersons, athletes, even families — who come to relax and play,” said Arman Khan, who manages a turf ground near Malkamcheruvu.
“We have a football group on WhatsApp and usually play on Saturdays, all the players are from our company. Playing with friends helps me relax and also builds stronger connections,” says Shubham Nikham, an IT professional. The turf grounds have become an integral part of their weekly routine, offering a space that combines fitness and recreation.
Surprisingly, the cost to hire a turf ground for an hour is the same, even if the ground is located far away from the city. Per hour for a full football court costs around ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, and for Cricket, nearly ₹2,000 to ₹3,000. Smaller spaces, box cricket turfs, cost much less — around ₹800 or less depending on the time slot.
Anusha Rao, who leads the Sister in Sweat community in Hyderabad, said that they host football coaching sessions on the turf at Jubilee Hills, both weekdays and weekends. Bookings are done in advance to ensure they get a slot.
Members of the Hyderabad chapter of Sisters in Sweat at a football session at Turfside in Hyderabad. File
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHANT THAKUR
“Several schools in Hyderabad lack proper playgrounds. In response, many parents are turning to private turfs and academies to ensure their children stay active,” says Padmakumar, a football academy coach.
The rapid urbanization in the city has made it harder to find open areas for sports. Turf grounds started to appear a few years ago as a response. People who own or manage these grounds said that it costs them a whopping 60% to 70% less on the outskirts.
Mohnish Deepak Pulelu, who runs a Gym in Khanapur, on Hyderabad outskirts, said that though the gym is located on the outskirts, people prefer to come there because of connection with the coach and their trust in the training.
“Nowadays, people are more conscious about fitness and health, more post-COVID,” says Mohnish, adding that they don’t have to worry about parking space, unlike the setups in the core of the city.
People play a late-night football match under floodlights at Game On turf in Hyderabad. File
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHANT THAKUR
Nikhil Yadav, manager at GamePoint, said that they use air coolers as people don’t want to play in a heated place in summer. “Around 70% of people want to play cricket only, but there are people who want to play football, and we provide both.” According to Nikhil, it is easier to attract players from residential areas. “Most of our facilities are near residential areas,” he adds.
As Hyderabad grows, turf grounds are becoming an essential part of the city’s emerging leisure culture, attracting families, IT professionals, and students who increasingly prefer a game on the turf over a night out at pubs, bars, or restaurants.
“We regularly play on our university’s ground, but once in a while, we gather friends and head to the turf,” says Saif Ali Khan, a student from the University of Hyderabad. “It’s a different experience playing on the synthetic ground under floodlights.”
(The writer was an intern at The Hindu, Hyderabad.)
Published – October 10, 2025 05:52 pm IST
