Virat Kohli's RCB Unlikely To Return To M Chinnaswamy Stadium For IPL After Stampede Mess, New 'Home' Almost Final

Virat Kohli and IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will, in all probability, not return to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the 2026 edition. According to sources, RCB are unwilling to stage their home matches in Bengaluru for the upcoming season. The reason for this major decision is directly related to the negative publicity the champion team had to endure after a trophy celebration in the Karnataka capital ended in a stampede that killed 11 and left several others injured. Bengaluru has been the home venue of RCB since the inception of the IPL in 2008.

So far, RCB has not approached the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to express interest in hosting its IPL matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, according to sources. Chhattisgarh's Raipur looks to be the front-runner to become RCB's new 'home,' while Madhya Pradesh's Indore is also in the race. The IPL is likely to start on March 21, leaving the Venkatesh Prasad-led KSCA in a race against time.

Notably, Virat Kohli's Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh (on December 24, 2025) was shifted from the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at the last moment.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune will host Rajasthan Royals' (RR) home games in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), sources said.

RR's decision to move their home matches away from their primary venue, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, stems from ongoing disagreements with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). Tensions escalated in IPL 2025 when an RCA official levelled match-fixing allegations against the franchise-allegations they categorically denied while calling for strict action against the individual concerned.

The MCA Stadium in Pune has hosted men's international games in all formats, including the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup and the Women's T20 Challenge.

In the IPL, it has been the home ground for Pune Warriors India, Rising Pune Supergiant, Punjab Kings, and Chennai Super Kings at various times during the 2010s.

Topics mentioned in this article

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Virat Kohli IPL 2026 Cricket