Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has confirmed that IPL matches will remain at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium despite concerns regarding the venue following a tragic stampede that occurred after the IPL 2025 final.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrated their first IPL title victory over the Punjab Kings, but the festivities took a devastating turn when a stampede broke out outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. In light of this incident, Shivakumar emphasized that the stadium will continue to host matches in IPL 2026. “We will not allow IPL matches to be shifted out of Chinnaswamy stadium,” he stated in a social media post.
“This is about the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka. As a cricket fan, I assure that such incidents will not happen again, and we will maintain the stadium’s reputation. Additionally, we will look to establish a new cricket stadium as an alternative,” he added after casting his vote in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) elections.
In related developments, Chinnaswamy Stadium has lost its status as a host venue for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. Although it was scheduled to host five matches, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) was unable to secure police clearance following the stampede that occurred on June 4.
Earlier, the stadium was also stripped of its hosting rights for the Maharaja T20 tournament in August as the KSCA did not receive the necessary clearance from Bengaluru police. Furthermore, the stadium will not serve as a venue for Women’s Premier League matches in 2026, with the tournament set to take place at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai and Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
