The IPL Governing Council is yet to finalize plans for this season’s opening ceremony as uncertainty continues around the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The venue, which serves as the home ground of IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), remains at the center of an ongoing controversy.
According to IPL rules, the defending champions host both the opening match and the final at their home venue. However, RCB, who won the IPL 2025 under Rajat Patidar, are still awaiting state government clearance to stage matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, creating uncertainty around the schedule.
RCB Set to Play IPL 2026 Home Matches Away From Chinnaswamy Stadium After Stampede Tragedy
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will not play their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the 2026 IPL season following a tragic stampede during last year’s title celebrations. The incident claimed 11 lives and left several others seriously injured.
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After the tragedy, all cricket activities at the venue were suspended. As a result, the defending champions will use alternative grounds for their home fixtures. As reported by The Times of India, RCB will host five of their seven home matches at the DY Patil Stadium.
The remaining two games will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. No matches have been scheduled at the Chinnaswamy Stadium since the June 4 incident, and any future use will depend on government clearance and compliance with official conditions.
IPL Opening Ceremony in Doubt as Venue Issue Dominates Governing Council Meeting
According to Jagran, the future of the IPL opening ceremony remains uncertain after the matter was discussed at an IPL Governing Council meeting on Tuesday. A BCCI official said the final decision will depend on where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are permitted to host their home matches.
If matches are not held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB will play their first two home games in Raipur, followed by five matches at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. The BCCI is not keen on hosting the opening ceremony in a non-metro city like Raipur.
One option is for RCB to start their home campaign at the DY Patil Stadium so the opening ceremony can be staged there. The alternative is to give the opening match to last season’s runners-up, Punjab Kings, which would allow the ceremony to be held at their home ground in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
IPL Teams Finalize Home Venues as RCB Await Clearance Ahead of January 27 Deadline
Several IPL teams have finalized their home venues for the season. Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gujarat Titans (GT), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will play all their matches at their regular home grounds.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) are expected to split their fixtures, with five games in Pune and two in Guwahati. Delhi Capitals (DC) will play five matches in Delhi and the remaining two in Visakhapatnam.
The Royal Challengers were also offered the option of playing a match in Thiruvananthapuram, but they declined. The franchise held talks with Karnataka government officials on Wednesday, and the BCCI has set January 27 as the deadline for a final decision on the venue issue.
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🔥 आइपीएल गवर्निंग… pic.twitter.com/JmKYB5zJb7— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) January 22, 2026
Also read: RCB under pressure as ‘ball is in your court’ warning issued by Venkatesh Prasad over IPL return to Chinnaswamy