RCB's Home Games Shifted to Raipur in IPL 2026

In a surprising turn of events, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will not host all their home matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the 2026 IPL season. Instead, two key games against Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians will take place in Raipur. This decision follows discussions between RCB officials and Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister, amid concerns about the stadium's safety. While RCB will still play five matches in Bengaluru, the shift to Raipur raises questions about the venue's future in hosting IPL matches. Read on to find out more about the implications of this change.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 26, 2026, 22:16 IST

RCB Faces Venue Changes for IPL 2026

Fans of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are facing disappointment as the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) returns to Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium. This season, the team will not play all seven of its home matches at their usual venue. Notably, two significant games against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. RCB is set to face the five-time champions MI on May 10th at 7:30 PM IST and will take on three-time winners KKR on May 13th at the same time. These matches will conclude RCB's home games for the season, with the first five matches being played in Bengaluru before relocating to Raipur.

Reasons Behind RCB's Matches in Raipur

Earlier this month, RCB announced its decision to play two matches in Raipur, following a meeting between Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, RCB's CEO Rajesh Menon, and BCCI treasurer Prabhtej Singh Bhatia. This agreement was reached amid uncertainties regarding the Chinnaswamy Stadium's readiness to host matches this year. The venue had not seen professional cricket since a tragic incident during RCB's title celebration last year, leading to a report that deemed it 'unsuitable and unsafe' for large events. Fortunately, it was confirmed recently that the stadium would be ready for the tournament.

Raipur's stadium boasts a capacity of 65,000 and has previously hosted six IPL matches, all of which were home games for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2013, 2015, and 2016. RCB's only match at this venue occurred in 2016, where they secured a victory against the Daredevils by six wickets. Meanwhile, RCB's other home matches against teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans will still take place in Bengaluru.