Why did Board of Control for Cricket in India shift the Indian Premier League 2026 final out of Bengaluru?

Board of Control for Cricket in India has shifted the final of Indian Premier League 2026 from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad, citing “operational and logistical considerations” linked to requirements from local authorities and the state association.

In a statement released by the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council, Bengaluru was confirmed as the original host for the final before the venue change was finalised.

“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the Final. However, 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 statement said.

Under the revised schedule, Qualifier 1 will be played at the HPCA Stadium on May 26, while the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 will take place at the New International Cricket Stadium on May 27 and May 29 respectively.

The final will now be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 31.

The playoff structure gives a clear scheduling advantage to the winner of Qualifier 1, who will have four days to recover and prepare for the final. Teams coming through the Eliminator route will face tighter turnarounds and additional travel before the title clash.

The decision to move the final away from Bengaluru comes amid multiple controversies surrounding cricket administration and crowd management in Karnataka this season.

Earlier in the tournament, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar demanded complimentary IPL tickets for legislators, arguing elected representatives should not stand in queues like regular spectators.

Following the controversy, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar announced that MLAs, MLCs and MPs would receive complimentary tickets for matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara later clarified that the tickets would remain non-transferable and could only be used by legislators or their family members.

Ticketing in Bengaluru also came under scrutiny after police arrested a stadium canteen worker during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru versus Lucknow Super Giants match for allegedly selling IPL tickets on the black market at inflated prices.

Investigators claimed around 100 tickets were seized during the operation, while another accused linked to the alleged racket remains absconding.

The city also witnessed tragedy earlier this year when a stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations left at least 11 people dead.

Thousands of supporters had gathered outside the venue for the felicitation ceremony when overcrowding near the gates spiralled into chaos. The incident triggered widespread criticism over crowd management and safety arrangements.

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad has steadily emerged as the preferred venue for marquee cricket events in India since the redevelopment of Narendra Modi Stadium in 2021.

The venue has hosted multiple IPL finals, playoff matches and the 2023 ODI World Cup final between India national cricket team and Australia national cricket team.

It also hosted the IPL 2025 final and is scheduled to stage the 2026 T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand national cricket team.