Chinnaswamy Stadium to Host IPL 2026: Deputy CM Guarantees Safety

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium will continue its role as an IPL venue for the 2026 season, with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar vowing to prevent any relocation. The stadium’s hosting capabilities were questioned after a tragic stampede following the 2025 IPL final resulted in 11 fatalities and led to the cancellation of several other high-profile cricket events, including the Women’s ODI World Cup and the Maharaja T20 tournament. Shivakumar stressed that keeping IPL matches at Chinnaswamy is a matter of honour for Bengaluru and the state, and pledged to implement robust security protocols to guarantee the safety of spectators. ‘We will ensure that such incidents don’t recur in the future and uphold the reputation of the stadium,’ he stated, also mentioning the development of a new alternative stadium. These assurances were given by the Deputy CM after casting his vote in the KSCA elections, reinforcing his commitment to cricket infrastructure. While WPL 2026 matches are scheduled for other cities, the focus remains on securing the IPL for Chinnaswamy.