IPL 2026: Will RCB play home games at Chinnaswamy Stadium?
What's the story
The fate of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium is uncertain. The state government has asked for a thorough structural fitness test before allowing any games to be held there. Notably, the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a notice to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), seeking a detailed structural safety report for the stadium.
Safety assessment
Expert-certified safety report required for stadium
The requested report has to be prepared by experts accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This is to ensure that the assessment meets strict technical standards. According to reports, the government has clarified that IPL matches will only be allowed at the iconic venue after independent experts certify the stadium's structural fitness.
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 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.
Safety report
Independent commission flags safety risks at M Chinnaswamy
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 withdraws 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.