The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 ticket rush gathered pace on Tuesday as bookings for the season opener between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were released at 4 pm. However, within minutes of going on sale, a large number of fans reported that tickets were already sold out, leaving many unable to secure seats.
The opening match scheduled for March 28 will be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which has a capacity of around 40,000. The return to hosting IPL matches comes months after it was banned from hosting competitive matches following a stampede during RCB’s June 2025 title celebrations that claimed 11 lives.
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Anticipation for the opening match has been steadily building, with many supporters preparing in advance to sign up as soon as tickets go on sale. Despite this, only a limited number of fans were able to complete successful bookings and several others expressed frustration at not being able to access tickets.
Tickets ranged from Rs 3,750 to Rs 47,000 for the opener of IPL 2026. RCB also announced that they will book 11 tickets to every home game as a tribute to the victims of the stampede.
A number of users took to X’s social media platform to voice their concerns, claiming that tickets appeared to be unavailable almost immediately after the booking window opened. According to multiple accounts, the seats were marked as sold out within seconds. Some users also reported that they reached the checkout stage but found that their transactions did not result in a booking confirmation.
“What’s the point of opening RCB ticket sales when there are literally no seats for fans to reserve? I logged in right at 4:01pm, sales started at 4:01pm and this is what I see. This happens all the time and I’m seriously sick of it,” wrote one user.
While a handful of supporters claimed to have secured tickets within the first minute, others claimed there were irregularities in the process. Some have suggested that a significant proportion of tickets may have been pre-allocated to VVIPs, while others have raised concerns about the possibility of tickets being diverted to the black market for resale at inflated prices closer to the match day. Similar complaints have surfaced in previous IPL seasons, adding to fans’ frustration. Screengrab from X Screengrab from X
Unverified claims have also been doing the rounds on social media that RCB could release tickets in subsequent phases, potentially under a dynamic pricing model that may see higher rates for subsequent sales windows. However, no official confirmation has been given in this regard.
In another post, a user cited discrepancies in ticket availability and price, saying, “Tried to book N-stand tickets worth Rs 25,000 – only one seat showed up and that too already occupied. Open the same stand tomorrow for Rs 5,000 and charge us again.”
Concerns also led fans to expect similar demand – and potential problems – for high-profile fixtures later in the season, including RCB’s much-anticipated clash against Chennai Super Kings on April 5.
So far, neither the franchise nor its ticketing partners have issued an official response to the complaints. With IPL excitement at its peak, supporters will be hoping for more transparency and a smoother ticketing process in the coming weeks, ensuring that genuine fans get a fair chance to attend the matches in person.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
24 March 2026 19:46 IST
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