The BCCI has officially confirmed a significant shift in the IPL 2026 playoffs schedule, moving the grand final from Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31, 2026. While the defending champion usually hosts the final, the BCCI reassigned the match from Bengaluru due to requirements from local authorities that were "beyond the scope of BCCI's established guidelines and protocols". Reports suggest these complications included administrative issues regarding ticket allocations and security clearances following previous crowd management concerns.The matches will be held across three cities, starting in the mountains of Dharamshala and ending at the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

IPL Playoffs 2026 Venues

Match

Date

Stadium

City

Qualifier 1

May 26

HPCA Stadium

Dharamshala

Eliminator

May 27

New PCA Stadium

New Chandigarh (Mullanpur)

Qualifier 2

May 29

New PCA Stadium

New Chandigarh (Mullanpur)

Grand Final

May 31

Narendra Modi Stadium

Ahmedabad

 

Qualifier 1: Qualifier 1 will be held at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala. This is the first time HPCA will host a playoffs game. It is the highest-altitude venue in the league, known for its scenic views and pace-friendly conditions.

Qualifier 2 and Eliminator: Qualifier 2 and Eliminator will be held at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh stadium in New Chandigarh. It also serves as the primary home ground for the 2025 runners-up Punjab Kings.

Grand Final: Originally slated for Bengaluru, the final was moved to the Narendra Modi Stadium due to "operational and logistical considerations". Local reports suggest the shift was influenced by administrative issues in Bengaluru, including excessive ticket demands from local authorities.

RCB fans express disappointment over M. Chinnaswamy’s elimination from hosting final match

The decision to shift the IPL 2026 Final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad has sparked intense frustration among RCB fans, who view it as a denial of their "right" as defending champions to host the summit clash. Social media is currently flooded with "unfair" and "robbery" tags as fans express their disappointment. By IPL convention, the defending champion (RCB) hosts the final. Fans feel the team’s historic first title win in 2025 deserved a home-ground celebration.

Reports that the shift was caused by MLA ticket demands as with local politicians allegedly demanding excessive VIP quotas which has particularly angered supporters who feel the "common fan" is being punished for political greed. The BCCI stated that requirements from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and local authorities were "beyond the scope of established guidelines".