Karnataka Govt Clears Chinnaswamy Stadium to Host IPL 2026 Matches

The Karnataka State Cricket Association has got official approval from the Karnataka government to host IPL matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, clearing all doubts about the venue for the upcoming season.

The venue will host the opening match of the season - between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad - on March 28. KSCA secretary Santosh Menon confirmed the update to Cricbuzz.

He said the Expert Committee was happy with the stadium’s infrastructure changes after an inspection and mock drill on March 13. The committee then informed the Karnataka government, which gave KSCA permission to host IPL matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"We are pleased to inform that a meeting was held earlier today at Vidhana Soudha under the chairmanship of the Home Minister of Karnataka, Dr. G. Parameshwar, with the Expert Committee and representatives of KSCA, RCB and DNA. During the meeting, the Expert Committee presented its report outlining the preparedness and compliance measures undertaken at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium," the KSCA stated in a media release.

"Based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee and after reviewing the arrangements in detail, the Home Minister has formally accorded approval for the conduct of the upcoming IPL matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru," added the release.

Karnataka govt clears Chinnaswamy to host IPL matches

After discussions between the state government, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) regarding the security and crowd control at large-attended events at the stadium after an incident occurred in June this past summer during the celebration of the RCB’s Trophy.

KSCA stated in a release, "The entire KSCA team, under the leadership of Venkatesh Prasad, has worked closely with the Home Minister, the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister, Expert Committee, Expert Sub-committee, other Ministers, senior State Government officials and all statutory authorities to ensure full compliance with the recommendations of the Expert Committee. This coordinated effort has played a significant role in bringing cricket back to the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, as committed to KSCA members and cricket fans. KSCA looks forward to extending full cooperation and support to RCB in hosting the upcoming IPL matches in a safe, well-coordinated and professionally managed manner, ensuring a memorable experience for cricket lovers and the sporting community."

Chinnaswamy Stadium now has the necessary approvals from authorities to welcome fans to its scheduled matches for IPL 2023. The venue will also hold 5 out of 11 matches at home for RCB, including the first match of the season, as well as 1 playoff match and the IPL 2023 Final. RCB will be playing their remaining 2 home matches in Raipur.

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