Bengaluru has been dealt a major setback ahead of the Women’s World Cup, with the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium reportedly set to miss out on hosting matches for the marquee ICC tournament starting September 30, 2025. The Karnataka State Cricket Association is under the scanner as the failed to get the police clearance by August 10.
According to a report on PTI, the BCCI had directed the KSCA to secure the required clearances by last Saturday, but local police officials confirmed that the process remains incomplete as of August 12. The report further suggested that the Greenfields Stadium in Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, has emerged as a possible alternative venue to host the matches scheduled in Bengaluru.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium was originally set to host tournament’s opening game featuring India on September 30. It is also the venue for four other matches between England and South Africa (October 3), India and Bangladesh (October 26), the second semifinal on October 30, and the final on November 2.
The Karnataka government’s tough approach has cast doubt over the city’s future as a venue for major events, especially with the T20 World Cup scheduled for early next year and the IPL. The government recently denied permission for the Maharaja Cup, which was subsequently moved to Mysuru. The KSCA had to shift the ongoing Maharajah T20 Trophy to Mysuru even after deciding to conduct it behind closed doors at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The state body was forced to move the tournament after the one-man D’Cunha Commission deemed the Chinnaswamy Stadium “unsafe” for large-scale events.
The state government appointed the commission to inquire into the stampede on June 4 here, in which people died and several others were injured during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations.
According to ICC regulations, the host association must hand over the stadium to the global governing body at least 30 days before the tournament starts, with no other matches allowed during that window.
Despite this, the Greenfields Stadium is slated to stage Kerala Cricket League (KCL) fixtures from August 21 to September 7. However, KCA officials remain optimistic that the T20 games can be shifted to an alternate venue if the World Cup fixtures are allotted to them.
“We have backup venues, if the World Cup matches are shifted here. But as of now we are waiting for a final confirmation,” sources close to the development told PTI.
