IPL 2026 scheduled from March 26 to May 31
The home base of reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru may not get a game in the 19th Indian Premier League, which is scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 31, as all major cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium was suspended due to a deadly stampede.
Given that RCB won the IPL 2025 title, the Chinnaswamy should host the tournament opening under to established rules, but it won’t be clear until the BCCI releases the full schedule.
In June of this year, the RCB’s trophy celebrations attracted lakhs of people to the streets, far more than the state machinery could handle on short notice. This led to chaos and a stampede that resulted in 11 fatalities at the scene.
The Karnataka government has granted the venue provisional clearance, but in light of the deaths, it must also adhere to the relevant safety and security regulations. The franchise had come under heavy fire for urging people to attend the street festivities without the necessary official approvals.
“Every year, the IPL opening match traditionally takes place at the home ground of the team that won the trophy in the previous season,” recently-elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad told reporters in Mysuru.
“But there was some uncertainty due to the stampede during RCB’s IPL championship celebrations on June 4. So, I’ve held discussions with the BCCI about hosting the opening match in Bengaluru, and they are also discussing on the issue,” he added.
Bengaluru lost the Women’s World Cup matches earlier this year as a result of administrative and security problems following the stampede.
The IPL 2026 mini-auction will take place in Abu Dhabi today, with three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders entering the event with the largest purse.
