BCCI snubs Bengaluru: KSCA ‘disappointed’ as IPL 2026 Final moves to Ahmedabad

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has expressed deep disappointment after the BCCI snubbed Bengaluru, picking Ahmedabad instead as the new host of IPL 2026 final. Not only this, but the Indian Cricket Board also did not allot any playoff match to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with Dharamsala and New Chandigarh staging three matches among them.

After the BCCI suggested why, under circumstances that were ‘beyond the scope of BCCI's established guidelines and protocols’, they decided to move the finale from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad, questions began lingering over the venue allocation for the league matches by the board.

"Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case,” a BCCI statement read, adding, "certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI's established guidelines and protocols."

Meanwhile, KSCA issued a detailed clarification on Wednesday (May 6), revealing that they had formally communicated their ‘preparedness, willingness and keen interest’ in hosting the playoff matches, including the final, with the board president Venkatesh Prasad engaging with the apex body on the matter.

"At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL Playoff matches have been allotted to other centres," the statement read. "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."

Regardless of an IPL rule, which automatically allots the home venue of the defending champions to host the next season’s finale, in this case, Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the final has shifted to the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, which will host an IPL final for the fourth time in the last five years.

However, it is worth noting that even Hyderabad and Kolkata were also denied hosting rights to the playoff matches last season in the wake of growing tensions between India and Pakistan.

"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 statement added.

Meanwhile, since the June 5 stampede episode (outside the venue), the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has not hosted any cricket match, domestic or international. But ahead of IPL 2026, the BCCI allowed KSCA to host league matches, with the proposal of staging playoff matches also on the table.

This season, RCB’s home venue hosted five league games, with the hosts winning four and losing only to DC last month. Raipur will, however, stage the remaining two RCB home games, with the one against the Mumbai Indians next on Monday (May 10).