IPL: RCB to continue playing home matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium
What's the story
Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, has confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches will not be moved away from Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium. Shivakumar made this declaration on Sunday while voting in the KSCA elections. The announcement comes after the state government asked for a thorough structural fitness test before allowing any games to be held there. Notably, the venue has been under fire since hosting RCB's IPL 2025 victory event, which led to a tragic incident.
Commitment
Shivakumar emphasizes respect for Karnataka and Bengaluru
When asked about the possibility of shifting important matches, including IPL ones, Shivakumar said, "This is a matter of respect for the state of Karnataka and Bengaluru." He further assured that steps would be taken to ensure future IPL matches are held at Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Deputy CM also addressed queries regarding the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup matches, saying they would host any available games in the coming days.
Safety concerns
Stadium history and recent incidents
The 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 M 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 ODI 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.