After months of speculation and to-and-fro, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have confirmed that they’ll return to their traditional home, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, for five home games in IPL 2026. The remaining two matches will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
The Chinnaswamy has been the RCB’s long-time home and is considered one of India’s traditional cricketing centres. Every year, it hosts arguably the most passionate fanbase of any sporting team in the country.
However, last year, it turned into the site of a tragic sporting disaster as 11 people lost their lives and several more were injured in a stampede just outside during RCB’s celebrations of its maiden title. Since then, RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and the Karnataka government did a lot of finger-pointing, as investigations were conducted in their individual roles behind it.
RCB were chastised for continuing the celebrations inside the ground for hours after the reports of the stampede had started to break. Soon, a Karnataka government commission conducted an inquiry and declared the ground unsafe for hosting large gatherings and events.
The venue lost matches in key ICC tournaments, the Women’s Premier League, and domestic competitions. For the past few weeks, all three bodies were in constant negotiation about new safety measures for the ground, even as the RCB owners went looking for backup options in Mumbai.
In its latest statement, the franchise thanked the government, the KSCA and the Karnataka police ‘for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru.’ It said it had ‘ramped up infrastructure and safety measures’ but didn’t mention the victims nor the stampede.
“The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive,” Rajesh Menon, the franchise CEO said. “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.”
“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.”
