Bengaluru’s iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium is set to face a serious blow ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), as the Karnataka state government has ordered a full structural fitness test before the venue hosts a single game.
As per India Today report, the Public Works Department (PWD) has sent an official notice to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), asking them to submit a detailed fitness report.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium will have to prove structural safety to host IPL 2026 matches
PWD also clarified that the safety report should be prepared only by experts certified by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Only after independent experts confirm that the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is safe, the venue will be allowed to host the Games. The Karnataka state government wants proof that its galleries and overall structure are strong enough to gather huge crowds again.
Also read: Dale Steyn leaked personal conversation with Virat Kohli!
The inspection has become mandatory as the stadium stands on 17 acres of PWD-leased land and it will have to prove that its galleries and structure can safely handle large crowds.
The government is not taking any risks and is ensuring that the evaluation meets the stringent technical standards after the tragic stampede in Bengaluru, where 11 people were killed and around 50 were injured during an event organized to celebrate Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)’s maiden IPL title win. Notably, RCB won the first IPL title by defeating PBKS in the final in June 2025.
Justice D’Cunha’s report declared M Chinnaswamy Stadium unsafe
A month after that tragic stampede, an independent committee led by Justice John Michael D’Cunha declared that the M Chinnaswamy Stadium was not suitable for large events.
The report warns that hosting huge gatherings at the venue involves serious risks related to crowd management, emergency planning and even city traffic movement.
Following Justice’s assessment, Bengaluru has lost major cricket competitions. Recently the hosting rights of ICC Women’s World Cup including the final were snatched from KSCA by BCCI and shifted to DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has not been awarded a single match of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 schedule for February and March next year. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been the home of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since the inception of the IPL.
Also Read: “One of the best innings we have seen” – Tilak Verma surprised by Virat Kohli’s Ranchi ODI century
But now everything depends on the upcoming structural safety report. IPL 2026 matches will return to Bengaluru only if experts declare the stadium fit.
BCCI called urgent meeting before Raipur ODI
Meanwhile, the BCCI has reportedly called an urgent meeting just hours before the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur on December 3. This unexpected move comes at a time when discussions are gaining momentum over the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, even though both have made a comeback with impressive performances.
It is being told that BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia, Joint Secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, Chief Coach Gautam Gambhir and Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar will attend this meeting. It is still not clear whether new BCCI president Mithun Manhas will attend it or not. Since the meeting is on the match day, senior players like Kohli and Rohit are unlikely to be part of the meeting on Wednesday.
