The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Final, set for Sunday, May 31, is reportedly being relocated to the Narendra Modi Stadium following a last-minute decision. The title clash was originally scheduled at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, but heavy ticket demand from Karnataka MLAs has prompted a change in plans.
As per a report by Dainik Jagran, the Bengaluru venue will no longer host any playoff matches this season. Alongside the final’s shift to Ahmedabad, Qualifier 1 is now expected to take place at the HPCA Stadium.
The remaining playoff fixtures, Eliminator and Qualifier 2, are likely to be staged at the home ground of last year’s runners-up, Punjab Kings. Their base, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, had previously hosted Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator in the previous season.
“The BCCI has changed the venue for the IPL 2026 final match. It is being reported that the MLA controversy had raised concerns for the BCCI. Amidst security concerns and political strife, the board has made significant changes to the venue, avoiding any risk,” the report mentions.
Earlier reports indicated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was considering relocating the IPL 2026 Final from Bengaluru after state politicians requested tickets for matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“There is an IPL match going to start on the 28th of this month. Karnataka State Cricket Association has not provided the tickets for the MLAs, ministers, and their families. They are taking all the facilities from the government. But they are not respecting the MLAs,” MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar had said ahead of the IPL 2026 season opener.
The league stage of the Indian Premier League 2026 is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, May 24, with a double-header, while the playoffs are likely to get underway from Tuesday, May 26.
Narendra Modi Stadium set to stage fourth IPL final in five years
The massive Narendra Modi Stadium first hosted an IPL final in 2022, when the tournament followed a caravan format before later moving playoff matches to multiple venues. After Gujarat Titans clinched the title that season, the stadium also secured hosting rights for the 2023 final, by which time the traditional home-and-away format had fully resumed.
Meanwhile, the IPL 2025 Final was originally scheduled at Eden Gardens following Kolkata Knight Riders’ success in 2024. However, due to forecasts of adverse weather in Kolkata on both the match day and reserve day, the final was ultimately shifted to Ahmedabad.
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