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NDP 2026 to be held at National Stadium, which has larger capacity

After 10 years away, next year’s National Day Parade (NDP) will return to the National Stadium.

This was announced by Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in a speech on Tuesday (19 Aug) where he teased “fresh ideas” for the annual celebration.

Source: Singapore Sports Hub

NDP last held at National Stadium in 2016

Speaking at an NDP 2025 appreciation function at the Surbana Jurong campus, Mr Chan said the NDP was last held at the Sports Hub almost 10 years ago, in 2016.

However, Covid-19 interrupted the “sequence”, he added.

Source: PIONEER on Facebook

In 2026, he promised “something different” with NDP back at the Sports Hub, saying:

Next year, we will try something new. It will be a fresh venue, and we will have fresh ideas, fresh performances.

He invited Singaporeans to contribute ideas on how to make SG61 “a special and meaningful experience for everyone”.

Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook

National Stadium has larger capacity

2016 was the only NDP held at the current National Stadium since it opened.

The old National Stadium used to be the de facto venue for NDP until it was closed in 2007 and demolished to make way for the Sports Hub.

NDP then moved to the Marina Bay Floating Platform until 2022, when that facility was also closed for redevelopment into the upcoming NS Square.

Thus, the past three NDPs have taken place at the Padang, which had a seating capacity of 27,000 for NDP 2025.

The return to the National Stadium next year will mean more than twice that number can attend the event, since its capacity is 55,000.

Move hinted at in July 2022

The move was hinted at as far back as July 2022 by then Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

He said at the time that he would like to bring NDP back to the National Stadium as the management is “more predictable and stabilised”.

He could’ve been alluding to the fact that the Government would take full ownership and management of the Sports Hub, including the National Stadium, in December 2022.

Also read: Rain, reunion & renewal at NDP 2025: S’poreans in the stands rise up for nation’s 60th

Rain, reunion & renewal at NDP 2025: S’poreans in the stands rise up for nation’s 60th

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