IPL 2026 final shifted from Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium to Ahmedabad

The Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has missed out on the IPL 2026 final. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shifted the May 31 final to Ahmedabad.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Bengaluru was designated to host the final but “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”.

Last year, 11 died in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the IPL-winning celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Following the incident, the Chinnaswamy remained shut for domestic and international fixtures until a safety audit reopened the venue for this year’s IPL matches. Chinnaswamy was at the centre of a different kind of issue before the start of the IPL as local MLAs went public demanding free tickets and VIP treatment.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) said it was disappointed to miss out on the final. “KSCA had addressed a detailed communication to the BCCI outlining its preparedness and explaining the operational framework under which the current IPL season was conducted in Bengaluru,” KSCA said in a statement.

“Despite our preparedness... we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues.

“While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard,” the KSCA said in its statement.

Dharamsala will host the first qualifier on May 26, while the eliminator and the second qualifier will take place at New Chandigarh.