The Chinnaswamy stadium has not hosted any matches involving RCB since the tragic stampede near the venue last year, which occurred during celebrations of the franchise’s maiden IPL title.
KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad inspects the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
A cloud of uncertainty continues to hang over the home ground of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) including the venue in the first phase schedule of the Indian Premier League 2026, released on Wednesday.
The fate of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will become clearer on March 13, when an expert committee appointed by the Government of Karnataka is scheduled to inspect the venue before delivering its final verdict on whether it can host IPL matches this season, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
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The stadium has not hosted any matches involving RCB since the tragic stampede near the venue last year, which occurred during celebrations of the franchise’s maiden IPL title. The incident claimed the lives of 11 people, while more than 50 others were injured, raising serious concerns over crowd management and safety arrangements.
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Following the incident, the Karnataka government barred the stadium from hosting events for several months before later granting conditional permission for cricket matches to resume.
Also Read: IPL 2026 tickets, schedule, teams and full match list: All you need to know
According to the report, several safety upgrades have since been implemented at the venue. These include the installation of new entry gates and the creation of additional entry and exit points to facilitate smoother crowd movement and ensure quicker evacuation during emergencies.
The Justice John Michael D’Cunha Committee, appointed to review safety measures, had set March 15 as the deadline for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to complete a series of short-term infrastructure upgrades at the stadium. The committee also carried out a detailed safety audit of the venue as part of the review process.
Last week, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara assured that all recommended safety measures would be implemented before the stadium hosts any matches, adding that additional police personnel will be deployed to prevent any untoward incidents.
RCB are scheduled to begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 28 with a home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. They are also set to host Chennai Super Kings in their next home fixture, pending the final clearance of the venue.
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