The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced that the final of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) will be relocated from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad. Historically, the tournament’s final is hosted by the home venue of the defending champions; as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured the title in the 2025 season, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was the designated venue for this year’s summit clash. However, the BCCI has opted to break this tradition following a significant dispute regarding the allocation of complimentary tickets and logistical constraints.
Ticket Allocation Dispute and Operational Challenges
The primary catalyst for the relocation was a contentious request from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). According to BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia and IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, the KSCA allegedly demanded a total of 10,057 complimentary tickets for the final. Under established IPL protocols, host associations are typically entitled to only 15% of the total stadium capacity as complimentary passes. Given that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has a limited spectator capacity of approximately 35,000 to 40,000, the KSCA’s request far exceeded the permissible threshold.
Detailed reports indicate that the local demand for passes was driven by significant pressure from various stakeholders:
Legislative Pass Requests: Each of the state’s Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) reportedly requested three passes each, totaling 900 tickets.
Governmental Requirements: An additional 700 complimentary tickets were requested for the Government of Karnataka.
Membership Commitments: The KSCA cited further commitments to life members, clubs, and various miscellaneous entities.
The IPL leadership argued that fulfilling these requests would have left only approximately 20,000 tickets available for the general public. Arun Dhumal informed the Press Trust of India (PTI) that such a scenario was “untenable” for a global event that attracts fans from across the world. The BCCI had previously written to the KSCA on 1 May after observing that complimentary allocations during the league phase had already surpassed the 15% limit.
Venue Reallocation and Playoff Schedule
Following the decision to move the final away from Bengaluru, the BCCI confirmed that the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad would host the 2026 final on 31 May. With a capacity of 132,000, the Ahmedabad venue provides a significantly larger ticket inventory, which the BCCI deems necessary to accommodate the high demand from international guests and general spectators. Additionally, an ICC Board Meeting is scheduled to coincide with the IPL final, further necessitating a venue with higher capacity and superior hospitality infrastructure.
The remainder of the knockout stage schedule has also been confirmed:
Qualifier 1: To be held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on 26 May.
Eliminator: Scheduled for 27 May at the New International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
Qualifier 2: Also hosted in New Chandigarh on 29 May.
The decision to shift the venue was also influenced by safety concerns and a tragic precedent. In 2025, a stampede occurred outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s victory celebrations, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. This incident led to a temporary closure of the stadium for a comprehensive safety audit. While the venue reopened for league matches this season, the BCCI noted that the challenges in managing large crowds at the relatively compact city-centre stadium remained a factor in their risk assessment for the final.
By relocating the final to Ahmedabad, the BCCI aims to ensure both public safety and a fair distribution of tickets for the premier event of the cricketing calendar, despite the disappointment expressed by the KSCA and local fans in Bengaluru.