Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bangalore are likely to play their home matches at two new venues in the IPL 2026 season. According to reports, DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur are expected to serve as RCB's home grounds for the upcoming edition. The development comes amid uncertainty over the franchise's return to Bengaluru following the tragic incidents following the IPL 2025 title win.
Notably, since the inception of the IPL in 2008, RCB has played all its home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, the situation changed after the IPL 2025 victory celebration outside the stadium ended in a tragic stampede. The incident took several lives and injured many more, drawing heavy criticism and negative attention towards the franchise and the executives involved. Since then, there have been discussions about changing RCB's home venue, with reports suggesting that the franchise is not ready to host matches in Bengaluru for IPL 2026.
According to sources quoted by Times of India, rcb The authorities have finalized the arrangements to hold their home matches at two venues in the next IPL season. As per the reported plan, the team is expected to play five home matches at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and two at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur.
A source told TOI that the arrangements were finalized after meetings with the local officials concerned. The report also said that consultations have already taken place to ensure logistical and operational preparedness at both locations.
RCB has not approached KSCA regarding hosting the matches
It is noteworthy that DY Patil Stadium has already hosted many IPL matches and international fixtures and is considered a reliable option due to its infrastructure and accessibility. Meanwhile, Raipur has been a strong contender in recent years, having successfully hosted international and IPL games. Earlier reports had suggested Raipur and Indore as possible new home venues for RCB, with Raipur now appearing to be in the lead.
As of now, the Bengaluru-based franchise has not approached the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) regarding hosting matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for IPL 2026. This change is seen as a direct result of the 2025 Stampede event.
According to reports, Rajasthan Royals will play their home matches during IPL 2026 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. His decision comes after his ongoing disputes with the Rajasthan Cricket Association, which escalated during IPL 2025.
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