Chinnaswamy Stadium hasn't hosted a competitive match since the tragic stampede incident last year.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play five of their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here and the remaining two fixtures at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium during the 2026 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), the franchise confirmed on Tuesday (March 3).
The announcement ended speculations about whether the defending IPL champions would be able to play at their home ground in Bengaluru, following the tragic stampede episode last year.
After RCB clinched their maiden IPL title win last season, celebrations became hectic when a stampede broke out outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The incident, which killed 11 fans, sparked safety concerns as the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 fixtures were also shifted from the iconic venue.
"This significant development comes after months of hard work and close coordination across all concerned authorities with a common goal of bringing the games back to home ground for the fans," RCB said in a release.
"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru."
"The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground," the franchise added.
The franchise said that the two "home matches" in Raipur will be as "per prior commitment."
Speaking on the development, RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said the fans deserve to watch their star-studded team compete at home.
"The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive," Menon said.
"The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home."
"After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)