IPL 2026: Will BCCI take away Playoff Matches from M Chinnaswamy Stadium? Fresh Indication arrives

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to reveal the IPL 2026 playoffs schedule within the next week, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has said. Dates for Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the IPL 2026 final are yet to be shared, keeping fans and franchises waiting for clarity on the knockout stage.

According to multiple reports, Devajit Saikia told reporters that the board would finalise and release the IPL 2026 playoffs schedule in the next two days. Saikia did not share any information on possible host venues, despite several questions about whether the long‑followed convention of the defending champions hosting the final would continue this season.

IPL 2026 playoffs venues and debate over RCB hosting final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru hold the IPL 2025 title, so the usual practice

suggests that M Chinnaswamy Stadium should stage the IPL 2026 final if the pattern remains unchanged. The choice is sensitive, as the BCCI is still dealing with the impact of the Bengaluru stampede that followed RCB's IPL 2025 triumph, where 11 people died and many others suffered injuries.

Devajit Saikia underlined that officials are weighing these issues carefully while they decide the IPL 2026 playoffs venues. Saikia was quoted by RevSportz as saying: "IPL playoffs schedule is coming in two days. The BCCI is seriously thinking about taking measures so that the IPL's reputation is not damaged. " The comment highlights the board's concern about safety and image.

League phase and elections around IPL 2026 playoffs window

Before discussions about the IPL 2026 playoffs, the league phase schedule itself was announced in two separate lists. The BCCI waited for the Election Commission of India to confirm voting dates in several regions before finalising fixtures for the second leg of the tournament, which added another layer of planning around the competition calendar.

The election timetable affected match allocation for states and union territories, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. Once those dates were declared, the remaining league fixtures were published, but details of the knockout venues, including the IPL 2026 final, were deliberately held back pending further internal decisions.

Will IPL 2026 Final be held away from M Chinnaswamy Stadium?

Before IPL 2026 began, several reports suggested that M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru would stage one Qualifier and the IPL 2026 final. The BCCI never confirmed these claims. Cricket returned to the ground for the first time since 4 June when IPL 2026 opened there, marking an important moment for the venue and local officials.

As per the IPL tradition, the playoffs are supposed to take place at the home stadiums of last year's finalists. But BCCI's current notion may well indicate a venue away from Bengaluru. In that case, Mumbai or Ahmedabad can be the options which may host the IPL 2026 final, although nothing is confirmed yet.