Bengaluru's IPL Final Shift Sparks Controversy, Says DK Shivakumar

Karnataka's Chief Minister-designate, DK Shivakumar, has raised concerns over the Indian Premier League (IPL) final being moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. He believes this decision has deprived the youth of Bengaluru and Karnataka. The BCCI cited excessive ticket demands from the Karnataka State Cricket Association as the reason for the shift. Despite the controversy, RCB triumphed in the IPL 2026 final, defeating Gujarat Titans with a stellar performance from Virat Kohli. This victory marks RCB's place among the elite teams with back-to-back titles.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 1, 2026, 10:56 IST

Bengaluru's IPL Final Shift Raises Concerns

On Monday, DK Shivakumar, the Chief Minister-designate of Karnataka, expressed his disappointment regarding the relocation of the Indian Premier League (IPL) final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. He emphasized that while no injustice was directed at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the youth of Bengaluru and Karnataka were unfairly affected by this decision. Initially, the final was scheduled to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where RCB, as the defending champions, were expected to host the event. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later decided to move the final to Ahmedabad. "Injustice has not been done to RCB. Injustice has been done to Bengaluru and Karnataka youngsters. The IPL final was supposed to be played here. But it happened in Ahmedabad. Whatever happened last time, we have all forgotten it and have started a new beginning," Shivakumar stated to the media.

BCCI's Reason for Venue Change

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explained the rationale behind the venue change, citing excessive ticket demands from the Karnataka State Cricket Association as a key factor. He noted that the decision to shift the final was made after the association requested complimentary tickets that exceeded the allowed quota. According to IPL regulations, the defending champions are entitled to host the final and one playoff match at their home ground, making Bengaluru the logical choice following RCB's successful title run last season. However, due to the alleged ticket demand issues, the BCCI opted to relocate the matches. Saikia clarified that host associations are limited to 15% of the stadium's seating capacity for complimentary tickets.

RCB Triumphs in IPL 2026 Final

In a thrilling conclusion to the IPL 2026 season, RCB emerged victorious, defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final held in Ahmedabad. Virat Kohli played a pivotal role, scoring an impressive 75 runs off 42 balls, leading RCB to chase down a target of 156 runs. This victory marks RCB's entry into an elite group of teams, joining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) as clubs that have secured back-to-back IPL titles.