RCB Confirms Playing At The Chinnaswamy Stadium
“RCB team finally confirmed that they are going to play IPL-2026 here in Bengaluru”: Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Venkatesh Prasad
BENGALURU: Though a delayed announcement, winners of Indian Premier League (IPL)-2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday confirmed playing their matches at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru city in the ensuing IPL-2026 season. Earlier, it is said the Board of Cricket Control in India had set a deadline of January 27 to make it clear for the RCB whether to play at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the IPL-2026 season or not.
Confirming the RCB playing at the Chinnaswamy stadium, president of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Venkatesh Prasad announced “RCB team finally confirmed that they are going to play IPL-2026 here in Bengaluru.” Adding, he said, “It is a huge achievement personally much bigger than my 5-wicket haul against England at Lord’s.” “It’s great to have them (RCB) back,” Venkatesh Prasad.
“We are coming home,” stated RCB on one of its social media platforms and asked Bengaluru (cricket fans), get ready. The champions return to entertain you.”
As per the announcement made by RCB, they will play 5 home games at the Chinnaswamy stadium and two matches to be played at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
The delayed announcement by RCB came over the State Government imposing certain conditions on RCB to play at the Chinnaswamy stadium after the stampede incident which killed 11 persons and injured as many as 70.
The conditions imposed included RCB (event organizer) will be held legally liable if an accident occurs on outer roads, crowd mismanagement among others. Earlier, the responsibility of the event organizer was limited to inside the stadium.
The stampede occurred when a large crowd gathering at the Chinnaswamy stadium made attempts to get into the stadium to watch felicitations to RCB players on winning the IPL-2025 trophy. The stampede occurred on June 4 leading to the State Government withdrawing hosting to Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) operators of the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Owing to the efforts by KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad assuring the State Government to comply with recommendations of the retired Justice John Michael D’Cunha who probed the stampede incident at the Chinnaswamy stadium. The State Government restored hosting rights to KSCA.
