The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially moved the Duleep Trophy 2026 final from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru to the historic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The initial rounds (quarterfinals and semifinals) of the inter-zonal tournament featuring six teams will proceed as planned behind closed doors at the CoE on the outskirts of Bengaluru from August 23 to September 2.

Scheduled for September 6-10, the title clash was initially slotted for the CoE. However, the Indian board decided to shift the venue so fans can experience the match live.

Speaking to the Times of India, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the development while also addressing government restrictions at the CoE facility that prevent hosting public crowds.

"We wanted to allow people to come and watch the Duleep Trophy final, hence the BCCI has decided to conduct the important domestic fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. At CoE, there are some restrictions regarding attendance of the crowd," Saikia said.

Rectifying fans' disappointment from previous editions, all matches of the red-ball tournament will be available for live streaming.

Central Zone will enter the competition looking to retain their crown after defeating South Zone in the 2025 final.

(With TOI Inputs)