Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday confirmed that it would play five of its Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Earlier, the Karnataka government had given its nod to the venue to host the IPL and international games; however, the final call was to be taken by the defending champions. Last year, 11 people lost their lives in a stampede outside the ground during RCB’s victory celebrations, and ever since then, Chinnaswamy hasn’t hosted any competitive cricket match.
RCB took the decision to return to their home base after months of hard work and close coordination with all concerned authorities, with the common goal of bringing the games back to home ground for the fans.
The remaining two home matches of RCB’s IPL 2026 campaign will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, as per a prior commitment.
“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,” Rajesh Menon, CEO, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, said in an official statement.
“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,” he added.
RCB also extended 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,” the official statement stated.
“This effort and affirmative outcome reaffirm the franchise’s deep-rooted bond with its passionate home supporters and mark the sustained presence of the champions at their fortress,” it added.
Chinnaswamy to host opener
The decks have now been cleared for the Chinnaswamy to host the IPL opener on March 28. The defending champions will play the opening match of the season, and their opponent is likely to be revealed later this week when the BCCI confirm the schedule for the 19th season of the tournament.
Last year, RCB’s wait for an elusive title in the IPL ended after the Rajat Patidar-led side defeated Punjab Kings in the summit clash. However, the victory celebrations a day later took an unfortunate turn after 11 people lost their lives in the stampede that occured outside the venue during the victory celebrations.