RCB To Host Five Matches In Bengaluru, IPL 2026 Opening Ceremony To Take Place At Chinnaswamy Stadium

IPL 2026: After a period of turmoil following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory parade in June 2025, cricket matches are finally returning to Bengaluru's iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

In the 2025 IPL season, the Bengaluru-based franchise won their maiden title after defeating Punjab Kings in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following the historic win, RCB held a victory parade in Bengaluru.

However, the celebrations turned tragic when eleven people lost their lives due to poor crowd management at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The parade on June 4, 2025, drew an overwhelming crowd of 200,000–300,000 people, leading to chaos at the stadium gates.

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M. Chinnaswamy Stadium To Host IPL 2026 Opening Ceremony

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host the opening ceremony of IPL 2026. The Bengaluru franchise will also play five league matches in front of their home fans at the venue. Additionally, RCB is scheduled to play two league matches in Raipur at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.

Rajesh Menon, CEO, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, said, “The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive. 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.

According to media reports, the playoffs and the final of the 19th IPL season are likely to be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

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IPL 2026 Likely To Begin On March 28

Earlier, ESPNcricinfo reported that IPL 2026 will begin on March 28, with the final planned for May 31. This marks a two-day delay from the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) original plan.

The IPL Governing Council is expected to hold a high-level meeting this week to finalize the schedule. While the official fixtures have not yet been released, they are likely to be announced very soon.