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The M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a beloved venue for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and IPL fans, faces an uncertain future for the 2026 season. The Karnataka government has mandated a thorough structural safety evaluation, putting home matches in jeopardy. This critical assessment by NABL-certified experts is required to determine if the stadium can safely accommodate large crowds for the upcoming IPL season. The government’s firm stance is that no matches will be permitted until independent safety clearance is obtained, reflecting a heightened focus on public safety following recent incidents. The stadium’s safety has been a major concern since a tragic stampede during an RCB victory celebration in June, which resulted in multiple fatalities and exposed serious flaws in crowd management and emergency response. An independent panel subsequently declared the venue “fundamentally unsafe,” leading to the relocation of Women’s ODI World Cup matches and exclusion from hosting WPL and T20 World Cup games. This leaves RCB potentially without their traditional home ground, with contingency plans to move to Pune’s MCA Stadium if Chinnaswamy fails the safety audit. While a new international stadium is planned in Anekal, it won’t be ready until late 2026, meaning a potential return to Bengaluru might be delayed until 2027. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is under immense pressure to secure the necessary safety certifications to ensure Bengaluru remains an IPL hub.
