New delhi: In what will come as music to the ears of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans, the Karnataka State Government on Monday formally granted approval for the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to host matches during the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The action in Bengaluru will begin with a blockbuster clash on March 28, when defending champions RCB take on Sunrisers Hyderabad. The city is also set to host one playoff match and the IPL final, although details are yet to be finalised.
The clearance comes after months of uncertainty surrounding the stadium following the tragic stampede on June 4 during RCB’s victory celebrations, which led to the death of 11 people and more than 50 were injured.
The incident triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about crowd management and safety. Despite RCB issuing an apology and providing compensation, doubts lingered over whether Bengaluru would be allowed to host IPL matches this season.
Last week, a committee appointed by Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara conducted an extensive review of the stadium. The inspection lasted over 12 hours and covered crowd-control mechanisms, infrastructure, and overall safety preparedness, according to sources in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
At one stage, about two months ago, RCB had even considered shifting their matches out of Bengaluru due to the stringent safety conditions being proposed by the state government.
However, efforts by the KSCA leadership helped revive the possibility of cricket returning to the city. Since former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad took over as KSCA president after winning the association’s elections in December 2025, he and his team have held multiple meetings with RCB officials and the state government.
Prasad had strongly urged RCB to continue playing their home matches in Bengaluru, stressing that the city and its fans were central to the franchise’s identity and its maiden IPL triumph last year. Virat Kohli remains a marquee figure for the franchise and a huge draw for local supporters.