Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) can play their home matches in the IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will depend on the decision of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
In the latest development, the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a formal notice to the cricket body to submit a detailed structural safety report for the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. After the Bengaluru Stampede, which killed 11 people and injured about 50, an independent panel led by Justice John Michael D’Cunha declared that the stadium was not fit to host large events.
RCB’s Home Matches for IPL 2026 Depend on Stadium Safety Clearance
The safety report must be approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to confirm that it meets all safety standards. Only after this approval can the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium start hosting matches again.
Since the tragic accident during RCB’s celebrations after winning their first IPL title, no games have been played at the stadium. Because of this, the BCCI did not include Bengaluru as a venue for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL), or the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. RCB is already looking for a contingency plan if they aren’t allowed to host matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
If the Karnataka government doesn’t find the KSCA’s safety report apt for clearance, RCB could shift their home base to the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. Last month, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the plan to build a world-class cricket stadium and sports complex in Anekal. This move hints at what may lie ahead. Since the new stadium won’t be completed before December 2026, RCB might only be able to return to a home venue by IPL 2027.
