In a major development, Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been denied the rights to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final.
Traditionally, whenever possible, the IPL final is hosted at the home ground of the team that won the trophy the previous year. Royal Challengers Bangalore had won the IPL title last year – coincidentally also in Ahmedabad – hence, the expectation was that Bengaluru would host the final this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released an official statement on the matter, clarifying why such a decision was taken at the last minute and why Bengaluru was stripped of the right to host the IPL 2026 final.
key points
- BCCI has officially confirmed the venues for the IPL 2026 playoffs and finals.
- Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the final of IPL 2026 on May 31.
- Dharamshala will host Qualifier 1, while New Chandigarh will host the Eliminator and Qualifier 2.
- The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was originally scheduled to host the final.
- The BCCI said the change in venue was due to certain requirements from the local authorities which were beyond its standard guidelines and protocols.
Big twist in IPL! BCCI breaks silence on removal of Chinnaswamy from final host venue of IPL 2026
In an official statement, the BCCI revealed that Bengaluru was set to host the IPL 2026 final, but due to the controversies surrounding the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, it has been decided to host the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“Due to certain operational and logistical considerations, the Tata IPL 2026 Playoffs will be held across three venues as a special case this season,” the IPL’s official statement read.
“Bengaluru was originally nominated to host the final. However, due to certain requirements from the local association and officials which were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and rescheduled.”
Also read: IPL 2026 playoff venues revealed; Ahmedabad will replace Bengaluru as the final host
Controversy in Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium
After RCB won the IPL trophy last year, the franchise held a victory parade at its home base M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Unfortunately, 11 fans lost their lives in a stampede outside the stadium while celebrations were going on inside.
This incident ultimately deprived the venue of hosting any cricket for almost an entire year. A report by the one-man Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission stated that the stadium was unsafe for large gatherings, and all cricket at the stadium was stopped.
The KSCA made attempts to bring cricket back to the stadium but they all failed, at least until the Stadiums Association negotiated with the Karnataka state government to bring cricket back to the grounds.
Chinnaswamy Stadium could not host any home matches due to renovation work, but returned to play during IPL 2026. In this year’s IPL, KSCA decided to leave 11 seats in the stadium permanently vacant in memory of the fans who lost their lives last year.
In IPL 2026, RCB’s home base hosted only five matches, while the franchise opted to host its other two home matches in Raipur.