Not Chinnaswamy! RCB Lock Two New Home Grounds for IPL 2026 After Stampede Scare

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are unlikely to play their IPL 2026 home matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The Defending Champions have reportedly finalised two alternate venues (DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Shaheen Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur) for their home matches in the IPL 2026.

The decision came after the tragic stampede happened during the Royal Challenger Bengaluru Victory Parade last year. As per reports, 11 people died in this horrific incident, and over 50 people were injured due to the poor management of the crowd by the authorities.

Since then, no international or any major cricket matches have been played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Due to the incident, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moved the RCB’s home ground from Bengaluru to Navi Mumbai and Raipur for the upcoming IPL 2026 edition.

Why is RCB not playing at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium?

According to reports from The Times of India, safety concerns are the biggest reason behind RCB’s decision to shift their home matches away from Bengaluru. Recently, RCB officials held a meeting with the BCCI to finalize the two venues for the IPL 2026.

As per the reports, RCB will play five home matches at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and two matches in Raipur during the IPL 2026. The Officials are now prioritizing fan safety and taking a cautious approach to select the venues for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.

As per the report by Justice John Michael D’Cunha, M. Chinnasway Stadium is “highly unsafe” for large gatherings, especially for events like IPL, where a huge crowd is expected. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials are now in contact with the Karnataka State Government regarding safety upgrades and crowd control measures at Chinnaswamy.

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DY Patil and Raipur as New Home Venues for RCB

Now, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be playing their IPL 2026 home matches at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Shaheen Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur. Both stadiums have already hosted several IPL and international matches in the past. Navi Mumbai is especially known for better crowd management and infrastructure as compared to some other venues.

RCB Squad for IPL 2026:

Rajat Patidar (Captain), Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan.

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