Putting an end to uncertainty surrounding the future of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as an IPL venue, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will return to their traditional home for the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The Bengaluru venue is set to host five of RCB’s home matches in the 2026 campaign, while the remaining two fixtures will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
The stadium’s prospects had come under a cloud after a blanket ban was imposed last year following the tragic stampede on June 4, 2025, which claimed 11 lives during the celebrations of RCB’s maiden IPL title triumph in 18 attempts. In the aftermath, a comprehensive high-level review was undertaken involving multiple arms of the state machinery. This led to the constitution of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Committee, whose recommendations became central to efforts aimed at restoring cricketing activities at the venue.
On January 17, the Karnataka government granted conditional approval for the resumption of cricket operations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, subject to strict compliance with guidelines laid down by the authorities. A formal clearance followed on February 12, paving the way for RCB’s return to the ground they have called home since the IPL’s inception in 2008 whenever the tournament has been staged in India.
“RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru,” the franchise said in a release.
“The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground,” it added.
Speaking on the development, Rajesh Menon, CEO of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, said, “The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive. The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home.”
“After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible,” Menon added.
RCB’s confirmation is expected to clear the path for the announcement of the IPL 2026 schedule, though the final programme remains contingent on the declaration of election dates in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, home states of KKR and CSK respectively.
Traditionally, the defending champions host the opening match of a new IPL season at their home venue. Whether RCB begin their title defence in Bengaluru before shifting base to Raipur later in the tournament remains to be seen.