Will champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru face a ban for IPL 2026?

Dubai: A stampede that cost 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2025 victory parade can likely cost the franchise dear facing a potential ban for the 2026 IPL season.

After RCB won the IPL title after a 18 years wait, the management decided to celebrate it at Chinnaswamy Stadium the following day.

But the celebration turned tragic with a stampede reportedly caused due to overcrowding and poor crowd management.

Following the incident, FIRs were filed against RCB, the event management company DNA Entertainment and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). RCB has since moved the Karnataka High Court to have the FIR quashed. Additionally, the police arrested the franchise’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, while two KSCA officials resigned after the victims’ families moved court.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it clear that the decision to celebrate the triumph was entirely organised by RCB.

But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that despite it was a private event the board would need to take action.

“At some stage, BCCI will have to do something. We cannot be a silent spectator,” Saikia was quoted by Cricbuzz as saying.

Since the tragic incident, many reports have surfaced on social media about potential ban for RCB. One social media account claimed that RCB may face a ban from participating in the upcoming season of the IPL. The claim was amplified by the X handle @IPL2025auction. In its social media post, it wrote, “One-year ban for RCB. RCB may face a ban from IPL 2026 if found responsible for safety lapses in the Bengaluru stampede. Authorities are investigating the incident seriously.”