IPL 2026 final moved out of Bengaluru to Ahmedabad; Mullanpur and Dharamshala get big-ticket fixtures

BENGALURU: The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which remained out of bounds for 10 months since the June 2025 stampede, continues to count its losses with the BCCI on Wednesday shifting big-ticket IPL matches out of Bengaluru.

While the May 31 title clash of the IPL will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur will host the Eliminator and a Qualifier, with the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala chosen as the venue for the other Qualifier.

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While the decision to shift the final — hosted at the venue of the defending champions; in this case, RCB — is on expected lines, what stands out is Bengaluru not being compensated with either the Qualifiers or the Eliminator.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, in a media statement, said, “Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned.”

Sources claimed that one of the major reasons for Bengaluru missing out on the prime IPL matches is the demands from the state legislators for passes, which are about 900 per match.

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar dismissed any such link, stating the move was due to Ahmedabad stadium’s larger capacity.

Sources said demands for around 900 passes per match from state legislators, coupled with over 4,000 passes already committed to members and affiliates, made allocation difficult at the Bengaluru venue.

This amounts to nearly 15% of the stadium’s 33,000-seat capacity.

Unlike the league matches, which are hosted by the respective franchises, the final four IPL matches are the responsibility of the BCCI. While the decision to shift the final was not unexpected, what stands out is Bengaluru not being compensated with either Qualifiers or the Eliminator. Shivakumar said, “The Ahmedabad stadium can accommodate more people. The final may have been shifted with that intention.”

Karnataka State Cricket Association, while expressing disappointment, outlined they had communicated to the BCCI on its preparedness to host the title contest. “Despite our willingness to host the playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues. While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI,” Vinay Mruthyunjaya, KSCA spokesperson, said.