The M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s status as a host venue for the upcoming Women’s World Cup is in doubt after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline to obtain mandatory police clearances from the BCCI. According to ESPNcricinfo, the delay stems from safety concerns following the June 4 stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations, which left 11 dead and more than 50 injured.&nbsp;Bengaluru is currently scheduled to host several marquee fixtures, including the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, England vs South Africa (October 3), India vs Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2. However, Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being lined up as a backup if approvals are not granted in time.&nbsp;The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), set to run the Kerala Cricket League from August 21 to September 7, has reportedly prepared a contingency plan to relocate its domestic event should it need to host World Cup matches. Under ICC regulations, venues must be handed over to organisers a month before the tournament, meaning a decision could come within the next week.&nbsp;KSCA has already moved its Maharaja Trophy T20 matches to Mysore after police permissions for Chinnaswamy were denied, even for games without spectators. The association is now weighing a reduced-capacity plan for the World Cup, but BCCI approval remains uncertain—especially since the stadium is also pencilled in for the final if Pakistan fails to qualify.&nbsp;A state government-appointed probe recently deemed Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events, recommending that such gatherings be shifted to more suitable venues. The uncertainty is disrupting not only match scheduling but also the training plans of several teams intending to base themselves in Bengaluru. If permissions are not secured soon, organisers may be forced into last-minute venue changes, affecting players, officials, and fans alike.

Uncertainty looms over Chinnaswamy stadium hosting Women’s World Cup after stampede fallout

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s status as a host venue for the upcoming Women’s World Cup is in doubt after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline to obtain mandatory police clearances from the BCCI. According to ESPNcricinfo, the delay stems from safety concerns following the June 4 stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations, which left 11 dead and more than 50 injured. Bengaluru is currently scheduled to host several marquee fixtures, including the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, England vs South Africa (October 3), India vs Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2. However, Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being lined up as a backup if approvals are not granted in time. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), set to run the Kerala Cricket League from August 21 to September 7, has reportedly prepared a contingency plan to relocate its domestic event should it need to host World Cup matches. Under ICC regulations, venues must be handed over to organisers a month before the tournament, meaning a decision could come within the next week. KSCA has already moved its Maharaja Trophy T20 matches to Mysore after police permissions for Chinnaswamy were denied, even for games without spectators. The association is now weighing a reduced-capacity plan for the World Cup, but BCCI approval remains uncertain—especially since the stadium is also pencilled in for the final if Pakistan fails to qualify. A state government-appointed probe recently deemed Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events, recommending that such gatherings be shifted to more suitable venues. The uncertainty is disrupting not only match scheduling but also the training plans of several teams intending to base themselves in Bengaluru. If permissions are not secured soon, organisers may be forced into last-minute venue changes, affecting players, officials, and fans alike.

The KSCA is already hosting its Maharaja Trophy T20 competition in Mysore after police permissions for Chinnaswamy were not given, even for matches behind closed doors

India’s emerging chess sensation Divya Deshmukh created history on Wednesday (Jul 23) by becoming the first from the country to secure a place in the FIDE Women’s World Cup final and earning her first Grandmaster (GM) norm in the process. Divya, 19, playing with the white pieces on the day, stunned the former world champion and GM Tan Zhongyi in the semi-final clash, while displaying remarkable composure and tactical precision to beat the higher-ranked Chinese opponent. With this win, she also became the youngest Indian woman to reach the title clash of this prestigious tournament.&nbsp;Having drawn the first semis tie with black, the 18th-ranked Divya capitalised on the advantage of playing with whites in the second game. Divya continued to build pressure on her Chinese opponent through the middle game, forcing inaccuracies from her and later converting her position with clinical precision.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-is-divya-deshmukh-pm-modi-congratulates-chess-player-after-her-win-over-world-no-1-hou-yifan-1750328417167">Who is Divya Deshmukh? PM Modi congratulates chess player after her win over world no. 1</a> &nbsp;This win, however, marks a massive moment in Indian women’s chess, with Divya rising through the ranks on the global stage.&nbsp; &nbsp;Besides, the 19-year-old was in tears after she won the semi-final clash and earned a spot in the Chess Women’s World Cup final.&nbsp;<h3>Watch Video –</h3>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇮🇳 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh advances to the Finals of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025! ❗️She earns a GM norm and secures her spot at the next Women&#39;s Candidates!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIDEWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIDEWorldCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DivyaDeshmukh05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DivyaDeshmukh05</a> <a href="https://t.co/GlTBHTPdxN">pic.twitter.com/GlTBHTPdxN</a>&mdash; International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1948063644627157115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, in the second semi-final clash, Divya’s fellow compatriot and Grandmaster Koneru Humpy faces a tense tie-break after being held to a draw by China’s Lei Tingjie. Despite having the white pieces, Humpy failed to break Tingjie’s defence, with the two now set to face off on Thursday (Jul 24) to determine who faces Divya in the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Final. &nbsp;With two Indians in the semifinals, the tournament has already underlined Asia’s dominance in women’s chess. At least one Indian will feature in the next Women’s Candidate Tournament, with three qualification spots up for grabs from this event.

With this win, Divya also became the youngest Indian woman to reach the title clash of this prestigious tournament.

India’s emerging chess sensation Divya Deshmukh created history on Wednesday (Jul 23) by becoming the first from the country to secure a place in the FIDE Women’s World Cup final and earning her first Grandmaster (GM) norm in the process. Divya, 19, playing with the white pieces on the day, stunned the former world champion and GM Tan Zhongyi in the semi-final clash, while displaying remarkable composure and tactical precision to beat the higher-ranked Chinese opponent. With this win, she also became the youngest Indian woman to reach the title clash of this prestigious tournament. Having drawn the first semis tie with black, the 18th-ranked Divya capitalised on the advantage of playing with whites in the second game. Divya continued to build pressure on her Chinese opponent through the middle game, forcing inaccuracies from her and later converting her position with clinical precision. Also read | Who is Divya Deshmukh? PM Modi congratulates chess player after her win over world no. 1 This win, however, marks a massive moment in Indian women’s chess, with Divya rising through the ranks on the global stage. Besides, the 19-year-old was in tears after she won the semi-final clash and earned a spot in the Chess Women’s World Cup final. Watch Video –

With this win, Divya also became the youngest Indian woman to reach the title clash of this prestigious tournament.

History for India! Divya Deshmukh becomes first from country to reach FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Final

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Uncertainty looms over Chinnaswamy stadium hosting Women’s World Cup after stampede fallout

Divya Deshmukh reaches FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Final, creates history