Royal Challengers Bengaluru won’t play at Chinnaswamy Stadium for IPL 2026. The RCB home ground situation has become complicated after a stampede incident there. BCCI hasn’t hosted any major matches at that venue since the tragedy happened.
RCB now needs to find a new place quickly before next season.
Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium is being discussed as the temporary home venue. Kamlesh Pisal from MCA confirmed they’re talking with RCB about hosting matches. But nothing is final yet between both parties right now.
Why Royal Challengers Bengaluru Can’t Use Their Original Home Ground
The stampede during RCB’s victory celebration changed everything at Chinnaswamy Stadium in June 2025. Several people died in that terrible incident which shocked everyone badly. A committee from KSCA and the Karnataka government studied the venue after that.
They said the stadium isn’t safe enough to host big events anymore.
BCCI took those safety recommendations very seriously and stopped scheduling games there. The IPL 2026 home ground issue also connects to KSCA’s election problems. Karnataka State Cricket Association keeps delaying their elections for some reason.
Venkatesh Prasad wants to become KSCA president, and he’s frustrated about this. He says non-cricketers are running things now which goes against their tradition.
Pune Could Become RCB’s Temporary Home for IPL 2026
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune has experience hosting IPL games before. Pune Warriors India played there years ago when they existed as a team. The Rising Pune Supergiants also used that venue as their home venue later. So the stadium knows how to handle IPL crowds and matches.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru is looking at several things before making this decision final though. They need good hotels near the stadium for players to stay. The airport should be close enough for travel convenience too.
Stadium capacity and local fan support matter a lot for IPL 2026. Trivandrum came up as another option, but Pune seems more likely.
Elections Need to Happen Fast
Venkatesh Prasad believes solving the election mess is crucial for RCB here. Once KSCA conducts proper elections things might improve for the home ground situation. He wants former cricketers leading the association like in the old days.
Getting cricket back to Chinnaswamy Stadium depends on fixing these administrative problems. Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans just want their team playing somewhere decent for IPL 2026 honestly.
