Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is back in the game. On January 17, 2026, the Karnataka government’s Home Department gave conditional permission for the iconic venue to host both IPL and international cricket matches again.
This is huge news for fans, especially after the stadium was sidelined for months. It follows a tragic stampede that killed 11 people and injured 56 others during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL title celebrations last June. Everyone remembers that day, and it cast a long shadow over the future of cricket here, as NDTV Sports reports.
The Echoes of June 2025
That day, June 4, 2025, was supposed to be a party. RCB had just won their first IPL title. Almost three lakh fans, that’s a lot of people, converged near the 40,000-capacity stadium for the felicitation ceremony. It all went wrong outside, a crowd crush. Inadequate crowd management. Just awful.
An official investigation found many failures. Crowd control, entry/exit, ticketing, gate ops, police, CCTV, emergency response. Everything. The stadium was banned indefinitely. The BCCI moved big matches away: Duleep Trophy, India-South Africa A series, even the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final. That was a big blow for Bengaluru cricket. KSCA itself saw its treasurer and secretary resign, taking responsibility. It was a mess.
The state government then really clamped down. They said no more major events until KSCA showed they could make things safe. And they meant it.
New Playbook: Safety and Surveillance
So, the road back wasn’t easy. KSCA spent months working on safety compliance. They had to prove they learned from the tragedy. And apparently, they did. The police were involved too, checking things out. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh led a high-level review meeting. KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad was in a lot of meetings, pushing for cricket’s return under new safeguards. That’s commitment.
The government’s approval comes with strict conditions. They want improved crowd management, especially entry and exit flows. More police. Better fire safety. Emergency medical services. A command control room. And then there’s the CCTV. RCB even stepped up, offering to fund 300-350 AI-enabled CCTV cameras. That’s about Rs 4.50 crore.
It’s still waiting on KSCA’s committee, but it shows the franchise cares. Wider gates, reworked internal areas, all that stuff is happening. They really wanna get this right, and you can’t blame them.
“We are pleased to inform you that the Home Department, Government of Karnataka, has granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host international and IPL matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The permission is subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the Government and the concerned authorities.”
— Vinay Mruthyunjaya, KSCA spokesperson on January 17, 2026
He also added that KSCA’s confident. They’ve given a “detailed compliance roadmap” to the Expert Review Committee. They’re all in on safety, security, crowd-management. It’s what the fans deserve. And it’s what the investigation demanded.
What This Means for Cricket’s Future
The timing is good. This approval landed just in time for IPL 2026 preparations. So, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are the defending champions, they’re gonna play at home. That’s big. For a while, it wasn’t clear where they’d be playing. Fans will be relieved.
International fixtures are also cleared, so Chinnaswamy should slowly get back on the global calendar. Venkatesh Prasad, the KSCA President, he’s set to make a formal announcement soon. We’re all waiting for that. But for now, the message is clear: the stadium is back. This is huge for Bengaluru, and Indian cricket generally.
The stadium has hosted matches since 1974. It’s part of the fabric. You can feel the relief. But, remember, it’s conditional. Authorities will be watching. The Times of India confirms this conditional return, just like Firstpost. It’s a new chapter for Chinnaswamy, but the lessons of the past are right there. Can’t forget them.
Priyanjan Paul 
Sagnik Banerjee 
Soureesh Datta