Royal Challengers Bengaluru are heading back to their fortress, with the squad set to assemble at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 15 ahead of IPL 2026. With safety upgrades nearing completion, Bengaluru gearing up for a blockbuster season with big fixtures scheduled at the venue next season.
The confirmation comes as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) continues to complete the final phase of safety enhancement works at the iconic Bengaluru venue, months after cricketing activities were temporarily halted following the tragic stampede during RCB’s maiden IPL title celebrations in 2025.
KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad expressed confidence that the remaining work will be completed before the franchise begins its preparations at the stadium.
“Yes, there is some bit of work still left and as far as we are concerned, it is going to be delivered within the timelines that we have given the expert committee headed by Mr. Maheshwar Rao,” Prasad said.
“We have satisfied them to the best extent possible. They have repeated meetings here. They have come, even yesterday morning, to assess the works. The RCB is likely to assemble here on March 15, and the ticketed Unbox event will happen here a week ahead of the IPL’s opening match,” he added.
RCB had earlier confirmed that they will play five league matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium this season, including the opening fixture of IPL 2026, ending months of uncertainty over whether the venue would be cleared in time.
The Bengaluru-based franchise will also use the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur as their second home venue, where they are scheduled to play two league matches.
Apart from these, the IPL playoffs and the final are also slated to be held in Bengaluru.
WHAT ARE KSCA DOING TO ENSURE SAFETY?
Following the recommendations of the Justice Cunha report after last year’s tragic stampede, the Karnataka State Cricket Association has introduced several crowd-management and safety measures to ensure smoother operations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium during IPL 2026. KSCA secretary Santosh Menon said the association has already informed the expert committee about the progress of these upgrades, which are aimed at improving spectator safety and match-day crowd flow.
Key measures implemented include:
- 35,000 spectator capacity cap to better manage crowd movement inside the stadium.
- Stadium gates opening 3–4 hours before matches to prevent last-minute congestion outside entry points.
- Separate entry queues for women and children to streamline access and reduce overcrowding.
- Free metro rides for ticket holders in partnership with Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to ease traffic around the stadium.
- Improved match-day coordination with multiple departments to ensure smoother security and emergency response.
HOW DID CHINNASWAMY GET CLEARANCE FOR IPL 2026?
The return of IPL matches to the Chinnaswamy Stadium was approved by the Karnataka cabinet after reviewing the Justice Cunha report and the progress of the safety enhancement works at the venue.
Cricketing activities had been suspended earlier following the stampede incident that claimed 11 lives during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations in 2025.
The venue had also missed out on hosting the Ranji Trophy final between Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year, with the match shifted to Hubballi because the stadium was undergoing safety upgrades.
With the improvements now nearing completion and oversight from multiple departments in place, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has been cleared to host IPL matches again.
The stadium will not only stage five league games for RCB but will also host the IPL 2026 opening ceremony and curtain-raiser fixture.
With the business end of the tournament, including the playoffs and final, also scheduled to take place in Bengaluru, the Chinnaswamy Stadium is set to once again become the centre of IPL action.
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