Bengaluru, March 12: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026. The opening match will feature last season’s champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), facing off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
This match is set to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, whether the match will proceed at this venue depends on the approval of an expert committee formed by the Karnataka government.
According to the BCCI, the expert committee will inspect the stadium and review the match-day arrangements through a mock drill before granting final approval.
As per the board’s press release, the committee will conduct the stadium inspection on March 13, 2026, and will evaluate the preparations for hosting IPL matches through a complete mock performance of match-day operations. Matches will only be approved if everything meets satisfactory standards.
RCB, the winner of IPL 2025, faced a tragic incident during a celebration event on June 4, where 11 people lost their lives due to a stampede. Following this incident, matches at this venue were restricted for safety reasons. Major domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Maharaja Trophy have also not been held here since.
According to the BCCI’s schedule, RCB will kick off the season at their home ground on March 28, where they will take on SRH. Not only will Bengaluru host the opening match and ceremony, but it will also feature a playoff match and the season’s final.
In IPL 2026, RCB’s home schedule will be split between two cities. The team will play five matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, while the remaining two home games will take place at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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