Last week, the IPL 2026 final hosting rights were handed over to the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad instead of M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Earlier, Bengaluru was all set to host the summit clash of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s celebration after winning their maiden IPL went horribly wrong last year when 11 people were killed in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, leading to serious criticism.
Subsequently, the local government reviewed its safety arrangements before allowing it to stage IPL matches this season, including the May 31 final, at their home ground.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia revealed that owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities, the IPL final venue has been changed.
“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement.
“However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned.”
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which operates the Chinnaswamy Stadium, said it was disappointed by the BCCI’s decision to move the matches elsewhere.
“KSCA had addressed a detailed communication to the BCCI outlining its preparedness and explaining the operational framework under which the current IPL season was conducted in Bengaluru,” the state association said in a statement.
“Despite our preparedness… we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues.
“While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard.”
Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, will host the first qualifier on 26th May. Dharamsala hosted its match of the season on Monday, 11th May, between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.
The Eliminator and the second Qualifier will be played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on 27th and 29th May, respectively. The IPL 2026 final will be played on May 31.
The Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad has become the new hub for hosting the big finals in India. The 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup final were hosted by the same venue. The stadium can accommodate around 1.10 lakh people.
Moreover, the IPL 2023 and IPL 2025 finals were also hosted by the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
