Kolkata : Defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to get home games at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru for IPL 2026.
This news comes ahead of commencement of new season, much to delight of the loyal fans.
This is a significant development for RCB following the horrific stampede that took place near the stadium because of mismanagement, as the franchise celebrated its maiden IPL title last year. After that incident, on June 4, 2025, 11 people died and over 50 were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium as a massive crowd of nearly 3 lakh people had gathered to witness the victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, celebrating their maiden IPL trophy win. Chinnaswamy hosting rights were taken away as a result they couldn’t host T20 WC matches.
Now, According to a statement by RCB, as cited by news agency ANI, the development follows months of coordination with the concerned authorities to ensure matches could be hosted in Bengaluru. The remaining two home fixtures of their IPL 2026 campaign will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, as per prior commitment.
“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 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,” a statement stated.
Rajesh Menon, CEO, 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 said.
