Chinnaswamy stadium to continue hosting IPL matches, confirms Karnataka Deputy CM

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will continue to host IPL matches. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has made it clear that the IPL is not shifting out of Bengaluru, ending all doubts that had been growing since the stampede in June 2025. That tragic incident, which happened during an event to honour RCB’s first IPL title, led to 11 deaths and left nearly 50 people injured. Since then, the stadium has not hosted a single match, and talks of moving games have worried fans across the city.

Shivakumar said the stadium remains the pride of Bengaluru, and the government will make sure it is completely safe before cricket returns. To do that, the state has ordered a full structural fitness test of Chinnaswamy. The Public Works Department has also sent a notice to the Karnataka State Cricket Association, asking for a detailed safety report. This report must be prepared by experts certified by NABL so that the assessment meets proper technical standards.

“We will not shift the IPL elsewhere and will continue to hold it here at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, which we will retain.” Shivakumar said, speaking to the media after casting his vote in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) presidential elections.

He assured that crowd management, entry and exit routes, and overall handling of large gatherings will be improved. The focus, he said, is on making sure incidents like June 2025 never happen again. Shivakumar also revealed that the government plans to build a second, bigger stadium in Bengaluru to handle major events in the future. But he stressed that IPL matches will stay at Chinnaswamy once the safety checks are completed.

The stadium, built on PWD-leased land in the heart of the city, will get approval only after independent experts confirm that the stands and structure are fully safe for large crowds. For now, the message to fans is simple: Chinnaswamy stays, IPL stays, and the work to make the venue safer has already begun.