The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has been ongoing, and with that, the 19th edition of the league is nearing the 50th match of the campaign. Amidst this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the governing council have announced the venues for the IPL 2026 playoffs and final.
The matches will be conducted in Dharamshala, New Chandigarh (Mullanpur), and Ahmedabad. The BCCI has indicated that, due to operational and logistical factors, the Playoffs will be staged in three locations "as a special case". Previously, it was reported that the final will be hosted by the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA expresses its disappointment- KSCA statement after change in venue for IPL final
However, in the turn of events, the Narendra Modi Stadium is once again set to host the final. After this decision, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has expressed its disappointment with the change of decision from BCCI and the managing committee. KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad was in talks with the BCCI in this regard, and he also formally indicated the KSCA's willingness to host the playoffs.
KSCA statement after venue change, "At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL Playoff matches have been allotted to other centres. KSCA President and legendary Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad was personally in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in this regard and had also formally conveyed KSCA's preparedness, willingness, and keen interest in hosting the IPL Playoffs at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium."
The specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated- KSCA
"The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience, reaffirming KSCA's capability to successfully host marquee fixtures of such scale and importance."
"Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the Playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues. While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard."
IPL final in Ahmedabad
Qualifier 1 will take place at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, between the top two teams from the points table's group stages. The winner will advance directly to the final. And the Eliminator will be held in New Chandigarh, where the third and fourth-ranked teams will compete.
The winner of the Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1 will compete in Qualifier 2, which will take place at the same venue. The final will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Last season, the playoffs were held at two venues, with New Chandigarh hosting Qualifier 1 and Eliminator, and Ahmedabad hosting Qualifier 2 and the final. The final league game of this season, which is between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), will be played on May 24, two days before Qualifier 1.
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