News Desk
Haa Alif Dhihdhoo island is undergoing one of the most significant periods of development in its history, with two major projects advancing under President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. The government’s push to upgrade the northern atolls has placed Dhihdhoo at the centre of this momentum, beginning with large‑scale land reclamation for a new airport and now the construction of an international‑standard football stadium.
The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company has been awarded the contract to build a FIFA standard International Stadium in Dhihdhoo. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Sports, with senior officials representing the ministry and MTCC signing on behalf of the company.
The project includes preparation of the subbase, construction of the pitch, boundary wall and fencing, installation of a full lighting system and development of a rostrum. All works are to meet FIFA approved specifications. When completed, it will be the highest standard stadium in the northern region, giving Dhihdhoo and nearby islands the ability to host major tournaments and structured training programmes.
MTCC has been given 360 days to complete the project. Officials say the stadium will create new opportunities for young people, strengthen community life and support wider regional development.
The stadium announcement follows rapid progress on the Dhihdhoo Airport reclamation, a project that has already transformed the island’s coastline. The Maldives Airports Company Limited has completed dredging 63 hectares of land, more than half of the 112 hectares planned for the airport and new housing. The work began on 5 January.
Reclamation is being carried out using the Leiv Eriksson, one of the world’s largest trailing suction hopper dredgers with a capacity of 46,000 cubic metres. MACL plans to reclaim 115 hectares in total, a scale that will more than double the size of Dhihdhoo island and ease long‑standing constraints on housing and public services while creating the footprint for a runway.
Dhihdhoo, home to about 5,000 registered residents and serving nearly 7,000 people when nearby islanders travel for education and health services, has long faced pressure on land and facilities. The government has framed the airport as a key pledge to the community, one that will improve transport links and stimulate economic activity across the northern atolls.
Once operational, the airport is expected to benefit islands including the islands of Vashafaru, Filladhoo, Kelaa, Maarandhoo, Baarah and Utheemu. The region currently has one airport, located in Hoarafushi, serving a population of roughly 20,000 across 14 inhabited islands.
Taken together, the airport and stadium signal a coordinated effort to raise living standards and expand opportunities in the north. Dhihdhoo is emerging as a focal point of this strategy, with infrastructure that will reshape mobility, housing, sport and community life.
Dihdhoo Land Reclamation Reaches 63 Hectares as Airport Project Advances
