The return of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the IPL 2026 season is still not confirmed. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the government has no plans to stop cricket in stadiums, but the final decision will come after the cabinet meeting on Thursday.
RCB clinched their first IPL title in the 2025 edition, but the celebrations turned tragic when a huge crowd outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium led to a deadly stampede. 11 people lost their lives and many were injured.
The incident raised serious security concerns, leading to speculation whether RCB would be allowed to play their 2026 home matches at the venue. Notably, the stadium also lost the hosting rights for some matches of the 2025 Women’s World Cup.
No intention to stop cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium – DK Shivakumar
DK Shivakumar met newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad to discuss the future of matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. After the meeting, Shivkumar said that the government has no plans to stop cricket at the venue.
The politician said that the recommendations made by the Michael D. Cunha Committee will be gradually implemented, and Prasad has agreed to support the process.
“We have no intention of stopping cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, but we have to think about crowd control measures,” he told reporters after the meeting.
“We will also have to incorporate the suggestions of Michael D. Cunha’s committee in a phased manner. Venkatesh Prasad also agrees on this,” he said.
No permission to shift any match out of Bengaluru, including RCB – DK Shivakumar
Shivakumar said the government fully supports cricket in the state and they want to support the game and its fans without harming the reputation of Bengaluru. He assured that no matches, including IPL fixtures, will be moved out of the city and the government will work closely with the association.
“The newly elected KSCA president and his team met us today to seek government support. We will not allow any matches to be shifted out of Bengaluru, including IPL games. We have to work together on this,” he said.
“Our government has also proposed to build new stadiums. I wish all the best to Venkatesh Prasad and his team, who are supported by Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble,” he said.
Chinnaswamy Stadium’s future hinges on major security upgrades
The future of hosting matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium depends on meeting strict safety standards after serious concerns were raised about its structure and location.
A judicial commission led by retired judge John Michael D’Cunha, formed after the tragic stampede, concluded that the stadium’s design and its crowded environment made it unsafe for large crowds.
The report advised that large events should not return to the venue until improvements were made, warning that hosting large matches without these upgrades would pose an unacceptable risk to public safety, traffic flow and emergency response.
“Unless such infrastructure changes are made, continuing to host high-attendance events at the existing venue poses an unacceptable risk to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness,” the commission wrote.
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