Ahead of the India vs England Semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans received an encouraging update. The franchise has informed that they will play at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
In the upcoming season, RCB will enter into a contest as the defending champion. Before the tournament, there were some obstacles for the franchise to arrange their Indian Premier League matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after last year’s tragic incident. The cricket governing body of Karnataka was actively in contact with the state government to allow the team to organise its IPL 2026 matches at their home ground.
RCB provides official statement ahead of IPL 2026 season
A few days before, it was reported that the government had granted permission to host matches on the ground. The permission came with some guidelines as well. Fans were eagerly waiting for the franchise’s official statement as RCB’s future in the venue remained uncertain.
On March 3, it was informed that RCB will play 5 matches of the upcoming IPL season at theM. Chinnaswamy Stadium. And a couple of their matches are expected to take place in Raipur.
RCB to play 5 matches in Chinnaswamy & 2 in Raipur
— Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) March 3, 2026
Where our identity as a team truly comes alive- Rajesh Menon
“The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive. The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home”, Rajesh Menon, CEO, Royal Challengers Bengaluru said.
“After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible”, he further added.
It was previously learned that the champion of the IPL 2025 was actively in search of a suitable venue, for the upcoming season. It was reported before the state government’s clearance. As soon as the state government of Karnataka provided clearance, the Red and Black supporters had been waiting for the official confirmation.
Relieved the moment when Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title defeating Punjab Kings
In the previous season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the trophy for the first time in the history of the league by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by a narrow margin. Virat Kohli was considered the linchpin of the magical night for their entire community. Though, Krunal Pandya‘s bowling efforts also can’t be denied.
PBKS batters were comprehensively chasing the target of 191. Middle order batter Shashank Singh took the team very close to the glory but missed it by only 6 runs. Against RCB’s 190, PBKS scored 184 runs in 20 overs. Virat Kohli with the bat scored 43 off 35, and with the ball, Krunal Pandya took 2 wickets in 4 overs for a brilliant economy rate of 4.25.
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