The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially shifted the IPL 2026 final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. The decision came after controversy over ticket demands from Karnataka MLAs and MPs.
The final was earlier scheduled to take place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 31. However, the BCCI has now moved the title clash to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
BCCI says Bengaluru lost hosting rights due to demands from local authorities beyond board guidelines
In its official statement, the BCCI said Bengaluru was removed as the final venue because of certain requirements raised by local authorities and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
The board said, “Bengaluru was originally designated to host the Final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned.”
The issue gained attention after reports claimed Karnataka MLAs had demanded tickets for IPL matches. Soon after, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that three tickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) matches would be provided to MLAs and MPs.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium was already under close watch this season. The venue had not hosted matches for a long period after the stampede incident during RCB’s victory celebrations last year. Government agencies had recently cleared the stadium after a successful safety review. Bengaluru was then allowed to host seven IPL 2026 matches, including the final.
Despite losing the final, Bengaluru remains an important venue this season. Defending champions RCB are currently placed second in the IPL 2026 points table. The team is looking strong for a place in the playoffs.
The BCCI also confirmed the full playoffs schedule for IPL 2026.
Qualifier 1 will be played on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The Eliminator will take place on May 27 at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The same venue will also host Qualifier 2 on May 29.
The IPL 2026 final will now be held on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world’s largest cricket stadium.
The BCCI called this season’s playoff venue arrangement a “special case” because of operational and logistical reasons.
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