RCB seek clarity on ‘grey areas’ before hosting IPL 2026 matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have reiterated their desire to return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the IPL 2026 season, but the franchise has made it clear that it will do so only after certain “grey areas” in government guidelines are clarified. The issue centres around responsibility and liability for any incidents in or around the venue during matches.

Speaking at a press conference, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Venkatesh Prasad revealed that discussions between RCB and the authorities have so far lacked comprehensive two-way communication, particularly when it comes to regulatory clarity.

RCB want clarity on responsibility and liability

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, RCB are seeking clearer interpretation of a provision that places responsibility for any untoward incident in and around the stadium on the event organisers. The franchise wants to understand how this responsibility would be shared, given that multiple stakeholders are involved, including:

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru
• Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)
• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
• Karnataka state government

RCB believe ambiguity around these roles could pose operational and legal risks during the tournament.

RCB statement: ‘Fan safety is our priority’

In an official statement, RCB stressed that while playing at Chinnaswamy remains their preference, fan safety and regulatory clarity are paramount.

“While our desire is always to play at our home ground in front of our ardent fans, we want to be thorough in our commitment to further understand the conditions applicable to host matches here and the measures taken to ensure fan safety protocols are met,” the franchise said.

“From our preliminary conversations, there are still a few grey areas that need to be looked into. We are considering inputs from all stakeholders before arriving at a responsible decision for the team and our fans.”

The statement underlined RCB’s willingness to work collaboratively, but only once clear guidelines are established.

KSCA places responsibility on RCB to engage government

Earlier on Wednesday, KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad indicated that the next step lies with the franchise in terms of initiating structured dialogue with the government.

“Unless and until the government agencies were convinced about the timelines we had given them, and the work we are going to do based on the report we received, they wouldn’t have given us a go-ahead,” Prasad said.

He added that approval would depend on the authorities being satisfied with safety measures, infrastructure upgrades, and compliance with recommendations made in recent assessments of the venue.

Backup venues under consideration

Amid the uncertainty, earlier reports suggested that RCB had explored alternative venues for their home matches, including DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai and Raipur, as contingency options should approvals not arrive in time.

However, Chinnaswamy Stadium—one of the most iconic IPL venues—remains the franchise’s first choice, given its history, atmosphere, and strong home support.

What this means for IPL 2026

With IPL 2026 still months away, there is time for stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues. However, clarity on responsibilities, crowd management, and emergency protocols will be crucial before final venue confirmations are made.

For now, cricket is still expected to return to Chinnaswamy Stadium, but RCB have made it clear that certainty—not sentiment—will drive their final decision.