The Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL tournament this year — making a triumphant visit to Chinnaswamy Stadium for victory celebrations in early June. Matters took a disastrous turn as a stampede broke out near the premises, killing 11 people and leaving dozens more injured. The stadium has been left mostly unused since then — with a committee deemed it unsafe for hosting large gatherings until a detailed structural safety report was submitted and approved by the state government. The situation has also thrown up several questions about its use in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.
The IPL opening ceremony and first match of the season are typically played on the home grounds of the defending champions — in this case RCB. But this system seems unlikely with Chinnaswamy Stadium essentially ‘banned’ indefinitely from use in major events. It was recently left out as a venue for the 2026 T20 World Cup and and also lost five allocated fixtures during the Women’s ODI World Cup.
Karnataka govt seeks safety clearance
According to an India Today report, the government has sought a comprehensive structural fitness test before granting approval for Chinnaswamy Stadium to host games. The Public Works Department has reportedly issued a formal notice to the Karnataka State Cricket Association directing it to submit a structural safety report prepared by certified experts. It is necessary for the assessment to meet stringent technical standards, and demonstrate that the spectator galleries and other available infrastructure can handle large crowds.
Structural flaws?
The Karnataka government had appointed former Karnataka High Court judge Justice John Michael D’Cunha to a probe lapses in planning, coordination, and crowd management. The one-person judicial commission submitted its report days after the tragedy — deeming the stadium unsafe for large-scale events due to multiple design flaws. It also held various organisations including the RCB cricket team, KSCA, DNA Entertainment, and the Bengaluru police accountable. The Karnataka cabinet had accepted its findings in late July.
Pune as ‘home ground’ for RCB?
According to reports, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru is actively considering the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune as its new ‘home ground’ for IPL 2026. The Maharashtra Cricket Association told Indian Express in mid-November that talks were underway with the team — with a decision likely by the second half of December.
“We are in discussions (with RCB) but they have not confirmed yet. They are looking into other venues, and we have been in discussions with them. But they will only be able to confirm after the (player) auction. A couple of technical things need to be sorted out. We are in discussion with (vice-president and head of RCB) Rajesh Menon,” said honorary MCA secretary Kamlesh Pisal.
