Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Rajeev Shukla has indicated that the board is awaiting the government’s announcement of election dates before finalizing the schedule for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Venue Decisions for Franchises
Shukla mentioned that Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been asked to decide their home venues by the end of this week. Elections are set to be conducted in various states across India, but the BCCI is waiting for the government to declare the dates for polls in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati hosts some of Rajasthan Royals’ home games, while the MA Chidambaram Stadium and Eden Gardens serve as home venues for Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively.
“We are working on the IPL schedule, but we are still awaiting the government’s announcement of the election dates. Once those dates are confirmed, we will be able to draw up a schedule that does not disrupt the election process or clash with matches in the poll-bound states, ensuring smooth conduct of both,” Rajeev Shukla stated.
International Matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
Last week, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) received approval to host IPL and international cricket matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with the permission being subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the government and concerned authorities.
“As far as the home venues of RCB and RR are concerned, we have asked the franchises to take a final call and inform us within a week. Once the teams finalize their venues, we will prepare the schedule accordingly. So, at this stage, we are waiting for the teams’ decisions as well as the announcement of the election dates,” Shukla added.
RCB’s Venue Speculations
With the state government’s clearance secured, it will be interesting to see if RCB will play all of its IPL 2026 home games at Chinnaswamy. Notably, RCB’s vice-president Rajesh Menon recently met Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai about the possibility of hosting two games at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Naya Raipur.
Rajasthan Royals’ Home Venue Dilemma
Rajasthan Royals’ home venue uncertainty for IPL 2026 arises from administrative issues within the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). The BCCI has cautioned the franchise about the need for a backup venue, such as Pune’s MCA Stadium, since Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium faces uncertainty due to the RCA’s failure to hold elections, which complicates the smooth hosting of matches, despite ongoing efforts to retain Jaipur as the venue.
Consequently, the Indian cricketing board is waiting for RCB and RR to finalize their venues before determining the IPL schedule.