Maradhoo-Feydhoo () is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. The district borders the district of Maradhoo to the north, as they both share the same natural island, and the district of Feydhoo to the south. After Addu City became a city, Maradhoo-Feydhoo was extended to include the previous administrative island and a part of Feydhoo. The district has a village known as Feydhooburi (translates to 'North Feydhoo'). People still often refer to this village by the district's name.
History
Prior to relocation in 1957, the area that is currently administered as Maradhoo-Feydhoo was forestlands on Maradhoo island.
Originally inhabitants of Feydhoo, the families of present-day Maradhoo-Feydhoo, have inhabited Addu for centuries. Local tales and writing, as well as more formal recorded history, are indicative of intermarriages between families of Meedhoo island and those of Feydhoo (which was then occupied by the ancestors of present-day Maradhoo-Feydhoo). A Feydhoo island chief during the mid-1800s, Katheeb Kaleyge (an honorific moniker that refers to his position) married Karankaleyge Mariyam, who is a descendant of Sultan Ali VII of the short-lived Isdhoo dynasty.
A 'Feydhoo Ganduvaru' (literally 'Feydhoo Palace') is also said to have existed, occupied by the family of one of Prince Abdulla's wives. Due to the prince's numerous marriages in the southern atolls (Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, and Addu), it is likely that this claim may have some merit.
Traditionally, all islands in the Maldives have been ruled by an island chief, or Katheeb (comes from the Arabic word 'Katib'), with authority vested by the Sultan to allocate land, adjudicate in disputes, lead prayer congregations and administer basic education. While not officially a hereditary position, in Feydhoo and later Maradhoo-Feydhoo, the position had been held by the same family for over two hundred years before the position was abolished countrywide by the Decentralisation Act in 2010, establishing democratically elected local councils for cities and rural areas.
Relocation for British Airforce Base
The inhabitants of Feydhoo island were transferred to neighbouring Maradhoo island under orders from the central government in Malé during the early 1970s so that the natives of Gan island could inhabit Feydhoo. This was part of then Prime Minister Ahmed Zaki's negotiations with British colonial powers, who had established a military base in the atoll.
The move was immensely unpopular with island inhabitants, and Feydhoo's chief magistrate at the time Ibrahin Futa (a descendant of Katheeb Kaleyge, who would later adopt the more modern name 'Ibrahim Anees', and become island chief of Maradhoo-Feydhoo) was detained by soldiers from the capital city. According to oral sources, Feydhoo residents were forcibly placed on boats and transferred to Maradhoo.
Those people were placed in the houses of Maradhoo inhabitants, and given handsome food rations by the Royal Air Force, before half the island was given to them. This area was later named Maradhoo-Feydhoo; a separate island office was built, and those relocated by the government were given lands in compensation.
Maradhoo-Feydhoo is today a district of the greater Addu City region, the second most populous urban centre in the Maldives.
Geography The district has a size of 0.103 km2 of this, 0.25 are on the island of Maradhoo with a population of 1100, 0.673 are on the island of Feydhoo (5200), and 0.13 are on islands between them.
Sports Maradhoo-Feydhoo is Home to many Sports Football, Futsal, Handball, Badminton +Clubs and Associations FoundedFounder/OfficialsStatusCivilzation Club1973Mohamed WaheedInactiveMAFSEA2004 - 2009 SadhirInactiveThe Island Community (icom)2007 - 2008Ibrahim MoosaInactiveDYNAMO 2008 - 2012InactiveMARADHUFEYDHU2015 - 2015InactiveMaradhooFeydhoo FC2016 - 2016InactiveELITE Sports2022 - 2022Mohamed AliInactiveFC Afirin2017 - 2023MaseehHiausUnited MaradhooFeydhoo Sports Club2025 PresentHussain FazinActive
United Maradhoo-Feydhoo Sports Club - (MF United)
United Maradhoo-Feydhoo Sports Club is Maldivian Sports Club based in Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Addu City, Maldives. The team competes in Golden Futsal Challenge, The Top Tier of the Maldivian Futsal Cup. Founded in 2016. Registerd in 2025
History Football in Maradhoo-Feydhoo began as informal matches between neighborhoods and schools, often played on sandy grounds. In the 1970s–1980s, island football culture started to grow when young men began forming more organized teams to compete against other islands in Addu Atoll.
Home stadium
The History of Maradhoo-Feydhoo Football Ground: From a Lost 11-Side Field to Years of Youth Struggle Maradhoo-Feydhoo once had a proper football ground used by the youth of the island for regular football activities. According to the concerns raised by local youth and later reported in local media, the island had a larger ground suitable for 11-side football. However, over the years, that ground became one of the biggest unresolved youth and sports issues in Maradhoo-Feydhoo.
The story of the Maradhoo-Feydhoo football ground is not only about a sports facility. It is also a story about land loss, road development, delayed promises, poor maintenance, flooding, political disagreements, and a generation of young footballers left without a proper place to train.
The Road Project and the Loss of the Original Ground The issue began around the time of the main road development project in Addu City. The road project connected S. Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Feydhoo. Reports state that the road was built under free aid from the Sri Lankan government, amounting to US$11 million. The contractor for the road work was International Construction Consortium, known as ICC, a Sri Lankan company.
The practical road work started on 6 September 2012. According to reports at the time, the road was first expected to be completed by February, but the work was delayed due to bad weather. Addu City Council later said the road would be completed by April. The project included around five kilometres of asphalt road.
Although the road project was an important infrastructure development for Addu City, it had a serious effect on Maradhoo-Feydhoo's football ground. A later report by adduLIVE stated that a large part of the Maradhoo-Feydhoo football ground was taken when the main road was built under Sri Lankan government aid. This is the most important point in the history of the ground: Maradhoo-Feydhoo did not simply lose its football field because of neglect alone; a big part of the original ground was physically taken for the road.
After that, the remaining ground was no longer the same. The youth of Maradhoo-Feydhoo asked for the field to be rebuilt to its former size, but the council reportedly said that it could not be done because of lack of land space.
A Smaller Ground With Bigger Problems After part of the ground was taken for the road, the remaining football field became too small and difficult to use properly. One report described the Maradhoo-Feydhoo field as the smallest football ground among the wards of Addu.
The condition of the ground also became a major problem. Reports said that when it rained, water collected heavily inside the field. A youth who spoke to adduLIVE said that even a small amount of rain caused water to gather in the ground. This made football activities and tournaments very difficult.
At one stage, fencing and lights were installed around the field so that players could use it at night. However, the youth said this was not a complete solution. Their main concern was that the waterlogging and ground condition still needed to be fixed. The issue had been brought to the attention of the council and the Housing Ministry's Addu department, but the problem continued.
For the youth of Maradhoo-Feydhoo, the field was not just a piece of land. It was the only real space they had to practise, train and prepare for tournaments. Without a proper ground, the island's football development suffered.
The 2013 MVR 1 Million Development Promise On 29 May 2013, adduLIVE published a report titled “MVR 1 million for Maradhoo-Feydhoo field.” The report said that Maradhoo constituency councillor Abdulla Thoyyib, also known as Tom, announced that a project to develop the S. Maradhoo-Feydhoo football ground would cost MVR 1 million.
According to that report, the project would be funded from Addu City Council's own income. The first phase of the development was to include building a wall around the field, installing fencing and placing lights in the ground.
This announcement gave hope to the youth. After losing a large part of the original ground, and after facing flooding and poor field conditions, the MVR 1 million project appeared to be a possible solution.
Contract Signed With Southern Maldives A later report stated that Addu City Council signed an agreement with a company to develop the S. Maradhoo-Feydhoo football ground on a contract basis. The work was awarded to Southern Maldives, a company from Hithadhoo.
According to Councillor Abdulla Thoyyib, the agreement was signed between the council and the company. The project, funded from the council budget, included building the wall around the ground, cement works and installing lights. The work was planned to be completed within two months.
However, while the agreement showed progress on paper, the youth's problems did not end there.
Delays, Unfinished Work and No Proper Place to Practise Even after the wall, fence and light posts were installed, the ground was still not properly usable. A later report said that Maradhoo-Feydhoo youth had waited for more than two years for the field to be repaired and brought to a proper standard.
At the same time, teams across the Maldives were preparing for the Minivan 50 Football Championship. Maradhoo-Feydhoo also formed a team for the tournament, which was scheduled to begin on 15 September. But unlike teams from other islands and wards, Maradhoo-Feydhoo players did not have a proper ground to practise.
A Maradhoo-Feydhoo team official said they had met with the council, MRDC and officials from the Housing Ministry's department, but they did not see any result. Reports also said that the youth had discussions with MP Rozaina Adam, who represented the constituency, but even those discussions did not bring a clear solution.
The youth's biggest complaint was that although some work had been done around the ground, the field itself had not been properly filled, levelled and prepared for football. Stones and cement were present in parts of the ground, and the field could only be used properly after sand was added and the surface was levelled.
The MRDC Quote and Political Disagreement Reports said that the council had requested MRDC to carry out the levelling work. MRDC reportedly quoted MVR 225,000 for the work. According to information reported by adduLIVE, the work was delayed because the council considered the quoted price too high.
Maradhoo-Feydhoo youth believed that political differences between the council and Maldives Road Development Corporation were part of the reason the work was delayed. One youth was quoted as saying that the sand was taken from their own islands’ lagoon area and that the youth were even ready to do the work themselves, but they did not have the vehicles or resources needed.
This shows that the frustration was not only about football. It was also about the feeling that the youth were being ignored while a simple and important community need remained unsolved.
The MVR 2,000 Assistance Controversy During the Minivan 50 Championship period, another report said that MP Rozaina Adam gave MVR 2,000 to the Maradhoo-Feydhoo team. The team had requested assistance from her, but many people criticised the amount, saying it was not enough considering the real problem faced by the youth.