Pune could be set to return to the Indian Premier League ahead of the 2026 season, with the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) International Stadium a strong contender to host the matches. The development comes after the recent visits of IPL franchises Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals.
The MCA International Stadium in Gahunje has long been considered one of India's premier cricket venues, with modern facilities and seating capacity suitable for major events. While Pune has hosted IPL matches during earlier editions and as a temporary home for franchises, it has been absent from the tournament's regular venue list in recent seasons.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Maharashtra Cricket Association expressed its gratitude to RCB and RR for visiting the stadium a few weeks ago. According to the MCA, the presence of the franchise helped showcase the venue as a premier destination for top-level cricket events. Such recce visits are used to assess the infrastructure, pitch condition, training facilities, logistics and overall preparedness for hosting matches.
We thank Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals for visiting the MCA International Stadium, Gahunje, Pune a few weeks ago. His visit highlights the stadium's readiness to host top-level cricket.
With BCCI's continued support to Maharashtra Cricket Association, we… pic.twitter.com/v2lhve5uyT
– Maharashtra Cricket Association (@MahaCricket) 4 January 2026
MCA confident of getting BCCI nod to host IPL games
MCA is confident of getting the approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host IPL matches in the near future. Enlisting BCCI's support, the association said the stadium could soon be approved as a venue for upcoming matches involving one of the upcoming franchises.
Meanwhile, the stadium has a solid track record. It last hosted an international match in January 2025, when India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, defeated England by 15 runs in a T20I. In total, five T20Is, three Tests and 12 ODI matches have been hosted at the venue. Recently, it successfully conducted the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, including the final, where Jharkhand won its first title.
Get every cricket update! Follow us,
Leave a Reply