Ahmedabad to host IPL 2026 final, Bengaluru misses out on playoffs

The IPL 2026 final will be played in Ahmedabad despite defending champions RCB originally being in line to host it in Bengaluru. Dharamshala and New Chandigarh will stage the remaining playoff matches after the BCCI's venue reshuffle.

In Short

• IPL 2026 final will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad
• Bengaluru missed out on the Final and play-offs due to logistical issues
• The other play-off fixtures will be held at Dharamsala and New Chandigarh

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final is heading to Ahmedabad, with the Narendra Modi Stadium set to host the title clash on May 31 despite defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru originally being in line to stage the summit clash. The decision comes after a mix of operational concerns and political noise surrounding ticket allocation in Bengaluru.

While the BCCI officially cited “operational and logistical considerations” for shifting the playoffs across multiple venues, sources have indicated that the recent controversy involving complimentary IPL tickets for Karnataka MLAs also played a role behind the scenes.

The move means Bengaluru will miss out on hosting not just the final, but any playoff game altogether, despite the long-standing IPL convention where the defending champions get hosting rights for the title clash.

The BCCI confirmed on Tuesday that Qualifier 1 will be played in Dharamshala, while both the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 will take place in New Chandigarh before the tournament concludes in Ahmedabad.

WHY DID BENGALURU MISS OUT ON IPL 2026 FINAL?

Interestingly, this comes less than a year after Bengaluru’s handling of RCB’s title celebrations came under scrutiny following the crowd-management chaos outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium that led to multiple deaths.

Now, the city’s latest IPL ticket controversy appears to have added another layer to the conversation.

Officially, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the playoffs were being shifted across venues due to “operational and logistical considerations.”

“Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case,” the board said in its statement.

But the noise around Bengaluru had already been building for weeks.

Earlier this season, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar publicly demanded complimentary IPL tickets for elected representatives, arguing that MLAs were “VIPs” and should not have to stand in queues like regular fans.

The issue soon snowballed politically, forcing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to step in. A compromise was eventually reached, with MLAs, MLCs and MPs being allotted three complimentary tickets each for matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Even then, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara later clarified that the tickets would remain non-transferable and could only be used by family members.

IPL 2026 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

The playoffs will now be spread across three venues, with Dharamshala, New Chandigarh and Ahmedabad sharing hosting duties.

IPL 2026 Playoff Schedule:

• Qualifier 1 – May 26 – HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
• Eliminator – May 27 – New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
• Qualifier 2 – May 29 – New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
• Final – May 31 – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Meanwhile, RCB themselves remain firmly in the playoff race. The defending champions currently sit second on the table with 12 points from nine matches and are still very much in contention to return to the final, even if it will now be played away from Bengaluru.

- Ends