IPL 2026: Will RCB's Chinnaswamy Stadium get clearance?
What's the story
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said that a decision on hosting the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) games at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will be taken after Thursday's Cabinet meeting. He said the government is not against cricket matches, but crowd control measures need to be considered. Shivakumar met the newly elected President of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Venkatesh Prasad, earlier today at Circuit House in Belagavi.
Safety concerns
Shivakumar emphasizes crowd control and phased implementation
Speaking to the reporters, Shivakumar emphasized the need for crowd control measures while allowing IPL matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium. He also said that suggestions from the Justice John Michael D'Cunha committee would be implemented in phases. The Deputy CM also assured that their government is committed to cricket and its fans without compromising Karnataka's reputation.
Collaboration promise
Shivakumar assures cooperation with KSCA
Shivakumar assured the newly elected KSCA president that the government will cooperate with them. He also said that no matches, including IPL ones, would be moved out of Bengaluru. The Deputy CM further added that their government is ready to build new stadiums as part of this collaboration. "I wish Venkatesh Prasad and his team, who are supported by Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble, all the best," he said.
Stadium status
Chinnaswamy Stadium's recent history
The iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has played host to Royal Challengers Bengaluru's home games since the inception of IPL. However, it hasn't hosted a competitive match since the June 4 stampede incident in June this year that killed 11 people and injured nearly 50 others. The incident occurred during an event honoring RCB after the franchise won its maiden IPL title.
Report
Safety risks at Bengaluru stadium
A month after the stampede, a commission led by Justice John Michael D'Cunha termed the stadium fundamentally unsafe for large-scale events. The commission's report warned that conducting large events at the Chinnaswamy Stadium could pose a serious threat to public safety. It added that the stadium is not fit for handling big crowds, and hosting such events here poses "unacceptable risks" related to crowd control, emergency response, and traffic in the city.
Hosting rights
BCCI withdrew hosting rights from Bengaluru
In light of the report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) withdrew Bengaluru's hosting rights for the 2025 ICC Women's World Cup and handed them over to Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium. Bengaluru was supposed to host marquee matches in the tournament. The BCCI also stripped Bengaluru of any matches in the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled for February and March 2026. However, according to Shivakumar, some matches could return to the venue.