NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play five of the seven home matches of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The confirmation comes ahead of the new season when the defending champions return to their main home venue.This is a significant development for RCB after the horrific stampede that took place near the stadium due to mismanagement when the franchise celebrated its maiden IPL title last year.
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According to an RCB statement, quoted by news agency ANI, the development follows months of coordination with the relevant authorities to ensure that the matches can be held in Bengaluru. The remaining two home matches of their IPL 2026 campaign will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur as per a previous commitment.“RCB extends its sincere thanks to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their steadfast guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the holding of matches in Bengaluru. The concerted efforts to strengthen infrastructure and security measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions play most of their home matches,” the statement said.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 to life. The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them in every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally and deserve the opportunity to watch their team at home.”“After detailed discussions and completion of 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, KSCA and the Karnataka Police for their support to make this possible,” Menon said.On June 4 last year, 11 people died and more than 50 were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium as a huge crowd of nearly 3 million gathered to witness Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory celebrations, celebrating their maiden IPL trophy win.
