Bengaluru, Mar 16: The Karnataka government on Monday granted formal clearance to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to host matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 after a multi-department expert committee confirmed that the venue has completed the required safety and infrastructure upgrades.
The approval clears the way for the stadium to host its first major match after a 10-month gap on March 28, when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opening match of the IPL season.
The iconic venue had earlier been barred from hosting matches after a stampede during RCB’s victory celebrations on June 4, 2025, that claimed 11 lives, prompting authorities to mandate extensive safety and crowd-management upgrades.
The process of restoring cricket at the stadium gathered momentum after former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad was elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The State government subsequently set up an expert panel, chaired by Home Minister G. Parameshwara and overseen by senior official M. Maheshwar Rao, to review the safety upgrades.
According to officials, the stadium has undergone major improvements aimed at strengthening crowd management and emergency preparedness, including wider passages, additional entry and exit gates, multiple security checkpoints and large holding areas for spectators.
Fans attending matches will now have to pass through multiple layers of security checks, including metal detectors and ticket verification, before entering the stands. The stadium has been cleared to host matches at its full capacity of around 33,000 spectators.
Ahead of the opening match, the KSCA will conduct two mock drills on March 23 and 26, focusing primarily on ambulance movement and emergency response measures.
A committee source said, “Based on Justice Cunha’s report, the committee drew up immediate measures that needed to be implemented to host matches. Now, the KSCA has satisfactorily completed all the required upgrades.”
KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya welcomed the decision, saying, “We are extremely happy to inform you that the government has permitted us to play the IPL matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium.”
“All the five matches that RCB had proposed will be played here, and the playoffs and finals are also likely to be held at the stadium,” he added.
KSCA Vice President Sujith Somasundar said the association will launch public awareness initiatives to educate fans about the new safety arrangements.
“We will educate spectators on how to attend a match of this magnitude, including information on exit points and ambulance services,” he said.
Officials said the first phase of upgrades has been completed, while additional improvements will be carried out after the tournament in accordance with recommendations made in the Justice Michael D’Cunha report.
