The Karnataka State Cricket Association has expressed disappointment after Bengaluru missed out on hosting the IPL 2026 playoffs and final, despite formally conveying its readiness and willingness to the BCCI.
Bengaluru had been in line for the IPL final as the home city of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but the BCCI has allotted the title clash to Ahmedabad. The other playoff matches have gone to Dharamsala and Mullanpur, leaving the M Chinnaswamy Stadium without a knockout fixture this season.
KSCA disappointed after Bengaluru misses IPL playoffs
“At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL Playoff matches have been allotted to other centres,” the association said in its statement.
KSCA said it had formally informed the BCCI about its “preparedness, willingness, and keen interest” in hosting playoff matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The association also said its president, Venkatesh Prasad, had personally engaged with the BCCI over the matter.
The association said Bengaluru had successfully staged matches during the ongoing IPL season and pointed to the conduct of those fixtures as proof of its readiness.
“The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience,” KSCA said.
The statement came after the BCCI announced that Qualifier 1 would be held in Dharamsala, while the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 would be staged in Mullanpur. The final will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31.
Bengaluru missing out carries added significance because RCB are the defending champions. The city was expected to host the final under the broad convention that the home venue of the previous season’s winner gets strong consideration for the title clash. The BCCI, however, shifted the final out of Bengaluru, citing operational and logistical considerations.
KSCA said it respected the BCCI’s authority to decide venues, but added that it had not been formally told the specific reasons behind the move.
“Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the Playoffs, 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 association said.
The issue comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny around the M Chinnaswamy Stadium following last year’s stampede during RCB’s title celebrations. The venue, however, returned to IPL hosting this season after safety reviews and staged league matches without reported disruption.
KSCA also clarified that its communication with the BCCI was factual and operational in nature. The association said it had sought to provide clarity on the logistical and stakeholder requirements involved in hosting major matches.
KSCA maintained that Bengaluru remains capable of hosting major cricket events and said it would continue to cooperate with the BCCI and other stakeholders.
The association’s statement now places Bengaluru’s omission from the playoff list at the centre of the IPL 2026 venue debate. It also leaves a direct question over why a venue that staged league games this season and had expressed formal readiness was not given a knockout match.
