Bengaluru miss out on hosting IPL final, Ahmedabad steps in

Dubai: The IPL 2026 final has been moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad as the host venue.

"Owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI's established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned," the BCCI said in a statement.

The final is now scheduled to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. Meanwhile, Qualifier 1 will be held at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on May 26, while the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh will host the Eliminator on May 27 and Qualifier 2 on May 29.

"Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case," the statement said.

Traditionally, the IPL final is hosted by the defending champions. However, ongoing political developments in Bengaluru, especially those linked to MLA ticket distribution, created uncertainty around the arrangement.

Earlier, ahead of the IPL 2026 opening match between reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar reportedly said that each MLA should be allotted at least five IPL tickets, arguing that public representatives are “VIPs” and should not have to stand in queues.

Following the controversy, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced that MLAs and MPs would receive three tickets each for RCB matches during the ongoing IPL season.

Later, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara rejected claims that IPL tickets were being misused by legislators.

He clarified that tickets are purchased online and used by the buyers themselves. According to him, only the MLAs or their family members are allowed to attend matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The controversy created complications for the BCCI, especially since Bengaluru was expected to host the final under the tradition of defending champions staging the title clash.

Normally, the team that won the previous season hosts the IPL final, but in this case Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won’t benefit from playing the title match at their home ground even if they qualify.

RCB have already featured in five games at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium this season, securing four wins and suffering just one loss against Delhi Capitals last month. Their remaining two league fixtures are scheduled to be played in Raipur.

At present, RCB sit second on the points table with 12 points from nine matches and are in a strong position to reach the playoffs.