Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will not be able to use the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai as its home ground for the IPL 2026 season. The option of DY Patil Stadium was ruled out after Mumbai Indians (MI) refused to sanction RCB, which is still looking for a venue to host IPL 2026 matches.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has not been hosting cricket matches since a stampede occurred outside the venue during RCB’s IPL title celebrations in June last year. Eleven people were killed and many injured, raising concerns about crowd control and security arrangements at the venue.

Mumbai Indians reject NOC offer to Royal Challengers Bangalore for DY Patil Stadium

According to a report in The Times of India, Royal Challengers Bangalore have been denied permission to host the match at the DY Patil Stadium. Mumbai Indians were not granted the required No Objection Certificate (NOC).

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“If a team wants to set up a base not far from the home ground of another team, then permission is required to proceed. It is the same catchment area. Wankhede and DY Patil are not far from each other. If a team wants to set up a base at DY Patil, it cannot happen without the approval of the Wankhede operating base. MI reasoned, ‘Why only DY Patil and not any other stadium in the country? There are many,” the source explained.

Royal Challengers Bangalore explore options for IPL 2026, Raipur, Indore

Royal Challengers Bangalore has held detailed talks with the Chhattisgarh government to host at least two home matches in Raipur for the 2026 season.

With the DY Patil Stadium left out, Indore has emerged as a strong option to host the remaining five matches. Indore was also discussed earlier but came back into focus only after DY Patil dropped out of the fray.

“There were discussions when DY Patil was contesting but now it is no more and Indore is back in the fray,” the source added.

RCB awaits final decision on IPL 2026 venue, Chinnaswamy Stadium undergoing upgrade

The Chinnaswamy Stadium is being upgraded based on the 17 recommendations made by Justice D’Cunha’s committee and KSCA has already started carrying out most of the required renovation work.

In the process, the RCB held talks with Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday. The meeting was attended by RCB chief operating officer Rajesh Menon, KSCA chairman Venkatesh Prasad and other officials.

The IPL Governing Council and BCCI will release the schedule soon. Officials will inspect the site on Wednesday, after which time the situation is expected to be clearer.

“In Wednesday’s meeting, senior government, police and legal officials will discuss the actions that can be taken at the government level and instructions to be issued to the KSCA. The extent to which the issues raised by the Justice D’Cunha committee have to be considered. We need the chief minister’s approval,” Parameshwara said.

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