BCCI shifts IPL final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad amid MLA ticket quota controversy

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, May 7, 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shifted the final of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League from Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which will now host the IPL final for the fourth time in five years.

Dharamsala will host Qualifier 1, while New Chandigarh, the home venue of Punjab Kings, will stage the Eliminator and Qualifier 2. This marks the first time IPL playoff matches will be spread across three venues instead of the usual two.

As per convention, Bengaluru was expected to host the final because defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are based there. However, reports suggested that issues related to ticket allocation for MLAs led to the BCCI moving both a playoff match and the final out of Chinnaswamy Stadium.

In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the BCCI indirectly referred to the controversy without naming it directly.

“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the Board stated.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar denied that the ticket quota issue was behind the decision.

“The IPL final may have been shifted with the intention of hosting it at a bigger stadium in Ahmedabad and attracting more spectators. The distribution of tickets to MLAs has nothing to do with the shifting of the final match. Elsewhere too, tickets are reserved for legislators,” he told reporters.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), however, expressed disappointment over missing out on hosting the marquee event.

“At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL playoff matches have been allotted to other centres,” the association said in a statement.

KSCA added that its president, Venkatesh Prasad, had personally contacted the BCCI and formally conveyed the association’s readiness and willingness to host the playoff matches at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has decided to allot these matches to other venues. While the specific reasons have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI,” the statement added.