Explained: Why Royal Challengers Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy stadium could miss hosting IPL 2026 final

What did the BCCI say about IPL final venue?

A source within the board told ANI that the playoff fixtures are expected to be distributed between Punjab and Karnataka.

"The IPL 2026 playoff and final venues will be announced soon. The matches are likely to be divided between Punjab and Karnataka. As per convention, the defending champions should host the final, but the MLA ticket issue is creating problems in Bengaluru. If there is no resolution, the BCCI will move the final to another city," the source told ANI.

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How did the Bengaluru IPL ticket controversy start?

The dispute started during the IPL 2026 opening game between RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ahead of that fixture, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar made a public statement suggesting that every sitting MLA should be entitled to at least five IPL tickets.

He argued that elected representatives are important enough figures to be exempt from ordinary queuing and purchasing processes.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stepped in with what appeared to be a compromise, confirming that three tickets per RCB home match would be set aside for MLAs and MPs during the ongoing tournament. Shortly after, Home Minister G. Parameshwara took a firmer line, pushing back against suggestions that tickets were being misused.

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He stated that tickets for matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium are sold online and carry a non-transferable status, meaning only the purchaser or an immediate family member can use them. He argued that no misuse was structurally possible given these restrictions. Whether that explanation fully addresses the BCCI's concerns is another matter.

2008-2025: All IPL finals listed

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