IPL 2026 Final Venue Shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad: KSCA Responds

No Official Communication on IPL 2026 Final Venue Change

Bengaluru (Karnataka) - The Karnataka Cricket Association (KSCA) spokesperson, Vinay Mruthyunjaya, has confirmed that they have not received any formal notification regarding the relocation of the IPL 2026 final from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Originally, Bengaluru was set to host the IPL 2026 final, but the IPL recently released the playoff schedule, indicating that the championship match on May 31 will now take place in Ahmedabad.

In a statement, Mruthyunjaya expressed that the KSCA has not been provided with any rationale for the venue change. He emphasized that the decision rests with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and should be honored, despite the lack of official communication regarding the alteration.

He stated, "There has been no official communication explaining why the matches are not being held at Chinnaswamy Stadium. We currently lack any official information. However, it is the BCCI's prerogative, and I respect their decision."

Mruthyunjaya further clarified that the authority to host IPL playoff matches is solely with the BCCI, and state associations do not have a say in this matter. He noted that while it is typical for the previous season's champion's home ground to host the final, there were concerns about M Chinnaswamy Stadium following a tragic incident during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's title celebrations on June 4, 2025, which resulted in 11 fatalities.

He remarked, "It is always the BCCI's prerogative. The state association does not have the right to host any playoff matches. Traditionally, the winner of the previous season usually hosts the matches, but there have been challenges at Chinnaswamy Stadium due to the incident on June 4th."

Despite these challenges, the KSCA successfully organized five matches for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the IPL 2026 season and has submitted a comprehensive report to the BCCI detailing how these games were managed. The association had also expressed its willingness to host the IPL 2026 playoffs and final in Bengaluru, only to later discover that the matches had been moved elsewhere.

Mruthyunjaya added, "Despite numerous challenges, we successfully conducted five matches for the RCB franchise. We provided the BCCI with a detailed email outlining the conduct of these matches and expressed our readiness to host the playoff and final matches. However, we learned today that the matches will not take place in Bangalore."

According to the IPL's statement, although Bengaluru was initially slated to host the final, the venue was changed due to specific conditions raised by the local association and authorities that did not comply with the BCCI's established guidelines and protocols.

The IPL statement noted, "Bengaluru was originally designated to host the Final. However, due to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that exceeded the BCCI's established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been reassigned."

The IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams, is scheduled for May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The Eliminator will take place at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on May 27, followed by Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will compete against the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist. The season will culminate with the final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.