Chinnaswamy allowed to host IPL matches with strict safety compliance
Karnataka has conditionally approved the KSCA to host IPL matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2026, pending compliance with 17 safety conditions.
The state cabinet has given conditional approval to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host Indian Premier League matches in M Chinnaswamy stadium in 2026, over six months after a deadly stampede that killed 11 people and cast a shadow over Bengaluru’s most iconic sporting venue, officials in the know said on Friday.
The decision is predicated on compliance with 17 safety conditions laid down by the city police, based on recommendations by the Justice Michael D Cunha Committee. Officials said that permission would be granted once the requirements were fully implemented.
“The guidelines focus largely on crowd control and emergency preparedness. Authorities have directed improvements to entry and exit systems both inside and outside the stadium, citing current practices where ticket distribution and spectator queues spill onto footpaths, disrupting traffic and posing safety risks. The conditions require separate spaces for ticketing and queuing, smoother pedestrian movement, and widening of all stadium gates to a minimum of 6 feet,” said an officer in the know.
Fire safety measures form a key part of the plan, with mandatory separate exits and upgraded evacuation routes. The stadium must also create dedicated facilities for women and children, implement a real time system to track the number of spectators inside the venue, and improve parking as well as pick up and drop arrangements in surrounding areas, the officer added. The requirements also include increasing the number of entry and exit gates, creating dedicated crowd circulation zones away from public roads, installing internationally compliant emergency evacuation systems, and strengthening traffic and parking infrastructure around the stadium.
KSCA will be allowed to host matches only after all mandated upgrades are verified by the home department. The Justice D Cunha Commission had earlier described the stadium as fundamentally unsafe, citing serious flaws in design, crowd movement, emergency planning and traffic management. Its findings led to the venue losing Women’s World Cup matches, including the final, and exclusion from India’s list of host venues for the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar said IPL matches would not be moved out of Bengaluru, calling hosting them a matter of pride for the state. He said the government was committed to ensuring spectator safety while also retaining major sporting events in the city. Shivakumar added that the state planned to eventually build a new modern cricket stadium, though Chinnaswamy would remain the primary venue in the near future.
The approval came after newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad and his team recently met chief minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to seek clearance for resuming top tier matches. Prasad said the association had also held discussions with senior officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to ensure Karnataka does not lose marquee fixtures.
