The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final will be held in Ahmedabad on May 31, instead of Bengaluru as originally planned, the country’s cricket board announced on Wednesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated that the venue was shifted due to “certain requirements” from local authorities and the state association.
“Owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Bengaluru was cleared to host five games this IPL season despite a stampede last year outside its main cricket stadium that killed 11 young fans.
Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the standings, will be played on May 26 at Dharamsala, with a direct berth in the final at stake.
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Chandigarh will host the Eliminator on May 27 between the third and fourth-placed teams. The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist.
“Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case,” the statement said.
The title clash will be held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium, with a capacity of 130,000.
The IPL, the world’s richest cricket league, attracts leading international players and is broadcast globally, with several franchises backed by Bollywood stars.
It is also a top revenue earner for the BCCI and was estimated in 2020 to generate more than $11 billion a year for the Indian economy.
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