Good news for RCB fans! Chinnaswamy gets green signal to conduct IPL match

New Delhi. Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium has got the green signal to host IPL 2026. The expert committee appointed by the government approved this venue on Monday. This simply means that the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the first match of the season between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad will be played on March 28. There will also be a playoff match and a final. It has been a tradition that the final is played on the home ground of the last champion team.

The committee appointed by Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara conducted a thorough inspection of the stadium on Friday. The day-long audit examined structural compliance and steps taken for crowd control. The final approval was given after a meeting between Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials, top RCB officials and expert committee members on Monday. This committee was headed by G. Maheshwar Rao.

How many matches will RCB play in Chinnaswamy?

Five matches of RCB will be played at Chinnaswamy Stadium, while two matches will be played at Shaheed Veer Narayan Stadium in Raipur. This decision has been taken under the prior agreement between the franchise and the Government of Chhattisgarh. RCB has decided to issue digital QR coded tickets in collaboration with KSCA. The crowd around the stadium can be controlled. Apart from this, a partnership has been made with Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) to provide hassle-free travel facilities to the visitors.

Metro services will run till 1 am on the match day and work on the ticketing process is underway. There is a possibility that spectators holding match tickets will get the facility of free travel. BMRCL can also increase the frequency of trains on all routes, so that crowding does not increase. As part of the changes, KSCA has built six new gates around the Chinnaswamy Stadium and widened the old gates. Ramps and tarpaulin sheets have been installed in the old NCA complex, creating a holding area for the fans, so that they can easily reach their stands.