RCB to play five home games at Chinnaswamy Stadium in IPL 2026

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five of their IPL 2026 home games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday (March 3). Their remaining two home fixtures will be staged at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.

The confirmation follows months of uncertainty after the tragic events of June 4, 2025, when a stampede during RCB's victory parade outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives.

The incident raised serious concerns around crowd safety and event preparedness, prompting a temporary halt to cricket at one of the country's busiest venues, with even its allotted games from the Women's World Cup being relocated.

What followed was a high-level review involving multiple arms of the state machinery and the constitution of the Justice John Michael D'Cunha Committee, whose recommendations became central to efforts aimed at restoring cricket at the stadium.

On January 17, the Karnataka state government granted a conditional approval to resume cricket operations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, subject to compliance with specific terms laid down by the authorities. A formal clearance followed on February 12, effectively opening the doors for RCB to return to the venue they have called home since the IPL's inception in 2008 whenever the tournament has been held in India.

"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru," a release from the franchise stated.

"The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground."

Speaking on the development, RCB CEO Rajesh Menon added: "The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive. 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."

RCB's confirmation could now clear the way for the announcement of the IPL 2026 schedule, although the programme remains subject to the declaration of election dates in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, home to KKR and CSK respectively.

As for Raipur, the venue is no stranger to the IPL. It has previously hosted six matches in the tournament, serving as a temporary base for the Delhi Daredevils, as the Delhi Capitals were known then. The most recent of those fixtures came in 2016 and also featured RCB, with Virat Kohli earning the Player of the Match award for an unbeaten, match-winning 54.

Traditionally, the opening game of a new IPL season features the defending champions at their home ground, and so it will be in 2026 as well. As informed by KCA secretary Santosh Menon later in the day, Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium will also host a playoff game as well as the tournament final on May 31.

Click here to read article