Bengaluru to host the final! IPL 2026 playoffs venues revealed

The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is underway, and teams have already completed the fourth match week of the 19th edition of the league. There have been some surprising visuals in the points table as all the most successful sides in the tournament, Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have combined 13 trophies.

The three most successful teams are currently placed at 8th,9th, and 10th in the points table, respectively. All the 70 matches fixture for the IPL 2026 have been announced; however, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing council have not announced the venues and dates of the playoff matches of the oldest franchise league in the world.

IPL to release fixtures in two phases

The Governing Council released the schedule in two stages while waiting for polling dates for the Assembly Elections in several states around the country. However, it noted that an announcement on the venues for the playoffs, including the final, would be made at a later date. As per the reports from India Today, Bengaluru and New Chandigarh are leading the way.

The final decision will be made after several considerations, such as logistics, travel arrangements, and broadcast needs, among others. Traditionally, the final is played at the defending champions' home ground. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru being the current champions, the title match will most likely be contested at their home ground, and there will be 74 matches at 13 venues.

M Chinnaswamy to host the final?

Though there have been rising tensions over hosting the final in Bengaluru, as in the previous year, there was an aftermath after RCB won the trophy, during their victory parade in Bengaluru, 11 people died due to a stampede, and several people were injured during the celebrations, which turned into a nightmare. Ahead of the tournament, it was reported that M Chinnaswamy Stadium will not host any games.

However, after receiving approval from a Karnataka government-appointed Expert Committee, the venue was cleared to hold matches, two weeks prior to the league starting. Following last year's dreadful stampede outside the arena, the stadium was upgraded before being authorised to host the matches. RCB will play 5 league matches at this venue.

IPL playoffs fixtures yet to be announced

The other two matches of RCB will be played at the Raipur stadium. Thus far, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, have not been selected as the venue, nor the Wankhede Stadium or the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. These three iconic venues have hosted several finals of the tournament and many major cricketing matches. It will be interesting to see if any of the above-mentioned venues get any playoff matches.

It has been an exciting week in the IPL so far, and it is also rivalry week, as some of the best teams face their fiercest rivals in week five of the league. The fifth match week starts today, as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) hosts the table-topping Rajasthan Royals (RR), who are still unbeaten in the league.

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