The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has been cleared for large scale events by the Karnataka government paving way for IPL 2026 matches at the venue. The ground has not hosted any matches since the June 4 stampede last year that saw 11 people killed.
“We are pleased to announce that the Home department, Government of Karnataka, has granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association to host international and IPL matches at the iconic venue. The permission is subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the government and concerned authorities,” said Vinay Mruthyunjaya, KSCA’s official spokesperson, in a statement.
The formal approval for marquee cricket fixtures to return to the venue has ended months of uncertainty. The stadium was taken off the cricketing calendar with BCCI shifting several major events away from the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The ground missed out on the Duleep Trophy, the India–South Africa men’s A series, Vijay Hazare Trophy and 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, including the final.
Hosting matches at the ground again was subject to the implementation of recommendations from the Justice Michael D’Cunha report, which was formed as part of the investigation into the tragedy.
“KSCA is confident of fulfilling all the stipulated conditions. The Association has already presented a detailed compliance roadmap before the Expert Review Committee and remains fully committed to implementing all safety, security, and crowd-management measures in letter and spirit,” added Mruthyunjaya.
The KSCA also endured administrative upheaval, operating without a treasurer and secretary for months after both resigned, citing moral responsibility for the tragedy. Last year, the Venkatesh Prasad-led panel took charge, and began to act on its first priority of bringing back matches to the iconic cricketing venue.
With the state government’s clearance now secured, it would be interesting to see if RCB will play all of its IPL 2026 home games in Chinnaswamy, considering that its vice-president Rajesh Menon met Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai for playing two games at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Naya Raipur.
