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The Indian Premier League (IPL) seems unlikely to return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in 2026, as the Karnataka government has demanded a complete safety clearance of the stadium before granting approval to host matches at the venue. The Karnataka government has reportedly ordered the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to conduct a comprehensive structural fitness test before approving hosting matches at the stadium.
As per a report in India Today, the Public Works Department (PWD) in Bengaluru has sent a formal notice to the KSCA, asking the cricketing body to submit a detailed structural safety report of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The government has made it clear that the structural report should be prepared by experts certified by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
This comes months after an independent commission led by Justice John Michael D’Cunha declared the M Chinnaswamy Stadium unsuitable and unsafe for larger-scale events like IPL matches. The commission was formed to investigate the tragic stampede that took place outside the stadium in June this year, which claimed the lives of 11 and left nearly 50 people injured.
The stampede took place outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s maiden IPL title celebrations at the venue. The panel led by Justice D’Cunha released their report a month after the incident, where it criticised the design and structure of the venue. It also recommended hosting major events to other suitable venues.
The report said the stadium is unfit for managing big crowds and holding such events at the venue can come with “unacceptable risks” related to crowd control, emergency response, and traffic movement in Bengaluru. After the report, the Karnataka government ordered the KSCA not to host any matches at the venue.
The BCCI also shifted the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 matches from the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, to the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The stadium has not hosted a single competitive game since the tragic stampede in June this year. Bengaluru was also not given any matches in the T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to be played in India in February-March next year.
The Karnataka government has now made it clear that it won't approve any matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium until KSCA gets a structural fitness test done from independent experts. The stadium is RCB's home venue in the IPL.
Amid doubt over the venue getting approval to host matches next season, RCB is reportedly searching for a new venue for IPL 2026. As per Cricbuzz, RCB is in talks with the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) to play their home matches at the MCA Stadium in Pune next season. However, a deal is yet to be finalised with the MCA. Rajasthan Royals are also in talks with the MCA regarding moving their matches from Jaipur to Pune in IPL 2026.
