Bengaluru ‘Red Alert’: City gripped by IPL final fever as RCB seek second straight win
The Garden City is set to be engulfed in a sea of red on Sunday as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) play their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final, where they take on Gujarat Titans in a high-voltage title clash.
The festive mood started already on Saturday when the streets of central Bengaluru were bathed in red with street vendors starting sales of jerseys and accessories. On the other hand, big pubs and restaurants across the city are witnessing early bookings.
Interestingly, short-term rental houses are also seeing increased bookings as many screenings have been called off in the city on the advice of the Bengaluru City Police (BCP).
Decorated streets
RCB’s team support, as many cricket analysts say, is second to none. Such statements stem from how the streets of Bengal come alive during the IPL season and how the stadium fills up every time the home team plays.
The team’s talismanic batsman Virat Kohli, who has been with the franchise since its inception, has emerged as the most recognized player with jerseys bearing his name flooding the stadium and the streets. Sunday will be no different as most people were seen buying jerseys near the stadium on Saturday.
In addition, several shops have put up posters supporting the team along with RCB flags. There have been posts on social media showing people covering their entire cars with RCB stickers and pictures of players. All these vehicles are due to hit the roads on Sunday. However, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has clarified that no rallies will be allowed in the city.
Flight to Ahmedabad
The final will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Hundreds of fans fly to Gujarat from Bengaluru to watch the match live.
Among them are members of Namma Team RCB, a fan club that actively engages supporters throughout the IPL season. Preetham Karigar, founder of the club, told The Hindu that 75 members of the group have booked tickets and will watch the match together.
“We expected our team to get to the finals just the way they are playing this season. A lot of them left on Saturday and a few of us will leave today,” he said.
With this, fans can expect the cheering banners usually seen at the Chinnaswamy Stadium to make an appearance in Ahmedabad too, as it is a club that adorns the stadium with banners supporting the home team.
House parties
Anil Kumar, an ardent follower of RCB, said his entire office team has booked a short-term rental for a day and will watch the match together.
“We will meet early and prepare dinner and other meals before the match starts. We can watch the match just like in restaurants and pubs, but at a much lower price because the bookings have become more expensive,” he said.
Similarly, many fans are holding house parties this time.
“Home parties are much better than going out, getting stuck in traffic and now adding rain to the list. It will be a peaceful watch followed by a good conversation about the match,” said Manoj Kashyap, another fan.
Restaurant reservations
A bar and restaurant owner in Indiranagar told The Hindu that the bookings were already sold out, with bookings starting as early as Friday. This was the case with most Hindu-controlled establishments.
“We resort to bookings based on floor capacity as it can be difficult to manage the crowds on such occasions. This can also lead to problems with the police,” the owner told The Hindu.
In addition, the BCP directed all establishments to facilitate visitor-only screenings and to obtain prior permission for any outdoor screenings to ensure the required deployment after assessment of locations.
BCP has a busy week
If the home team wins, a celebratory mood is expected to engulf the entire city, which is exactly what the fans are hoping for. However, it will be a busy week for the Bengaluru police as political developments in the state also take place. The force is expected to prepare for two to three major events in a span of three days.
Planning is already underway. The Bengaluru Traffic Police will impose restrictions, including the closure of some stretches of the road. Enhanced drink-driving controls and strict measures against reckless driving will also be introduced.
The BCP promotes responsible celebrations and has launched a social media campaign featuring posts and videos urging people to celebrate peacefully. Police also encourage celebrations at home rather than crowds spilling into the streets.
Published – 30 May 2026 22:38 IST