THE KARNATAKA STATE CRICKET ASSOCIATION (KSCA) has voiced its dissatisfaction over being passed over as a host venue for the IPL 2026 playoffs and final, as scrutiny over the BCCI’s venue selection process continues to grow.
In an official statement, the KSCA stated that it had formally conveyed its “preparedness, willingness, and keen interest” in hosting the IPL playoff matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the president Venkatesh Prasad. “At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL playoff matches have been allotted to other centres. The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience.” the statement commented.
The BCCI has decided to hold the playoffs in Dharamsala and Mullanpur, both home venues of last season’s runners-up Punjab Kings, and awarded the final to Ahmedabad for the fourth
time in five editions since the Motera stadium was rebuilt. Bengaluru, home of defending
champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, had been widely expected to host the final as per
convention. Hyderabad and Kolkata also missed out on playoff hosting duties last year when
the IPL was suspended due to the India-Pakistan conflict. BCCI earlier stated that, “Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case. It added that the shift was due to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols.
The KSCA clarified that its communication to the BCCI was factual, operational, and
clarificatory in nature, intended to provide transparency around the logistical and
stakeholder requirements of hosting high-profile matches. It also pointed out that
Bengaluru’s operational framework has been in place since the IPL’s inception in 2008 and
was followed uniformly throughout this season, including during earlier playoff matches
held at the venue. “Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the Playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues. While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard,” the statement added.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium, which had remained unused following a stampede during RCB’s
victory parade last year, was given the green light to host IPL 2026 matches after clearing a
safety review by government agencies. The BCCI also allocated two international fixtures to
the venue: a T20I against Sri Lanka on October 17, 2026 and an ODI against West Indies on
December 16, 2026. The five league matches held there this season passed off largely
without incident, though there were some logistical complications over the state
government’s demand for VIP tickets for MLAs.
The KSCA meanwhile reaffirmed its commitment to hosting major events, stating it remains
fully prepared to stage matches of national and international importance and will continue
to extend its full support and cooperation to the BCCI and other stakeholders.
