Chinnaswamy Stadium to host IPL 2026 and international cricket after Karnataka government approval

The Karnataka government has given conditional permission to host international cricket and IPL matches at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) confirmed the development through an official press note on Saturday.

According to KSCA, the approval from the Home Department of the Government of Karnataka allows the stadium to host matches, but it comes with certain terms and conditions. The association said it is confident of meeting all the requirements laid down by the government and other concerned authorities.

KSCA added that it has already submitted a detailed compliance roadmap to the Expert Review Committee and remains committed to implementing all safety, security and crowd-management measures. KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad is expected to hold a press conference soon to thank the state government and share further details about the future plans for the stadium.

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“The permission is subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the Government and the concerned Authorities. KSCA is confident of fulfilling all the stipulated conditions. The Association has already presented a detailed compliance roadmap before the Expert Review Committee and remains fully committed to implementing all safety, security, and crowd-management measures in letter and spirit,” the press note read.

Why was matches taken out of Chinnaswamy?

No cricket matches have been played at Chinnaswamy Stadium since the tragic stampede during RCB’s IPL 2025 trophy win celebration on June 4 last year, which claimed 11 lives. Following the incident, the venue was not allotted any matches due to security concerns.

The ICC Women’s World Cup matches were not held there, and the upcoming T20 World Cup games have also not been allotted to the venue. Even the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy matches were shifted away from the stadium, with most games, including the final, held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

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However, in early December, the Karnataka cabinet gave a conditional approval to host IPL matches at Chinnaswamy, with newly appointed KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad making it his top priority. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had said that the state government allowed cricket matches to be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in order to protect Bengaluru’s reputation.