The Board of Control for Cricket in India moved the IPL 2026 final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on Wednesday, breaking with the convention of staging the title decider on the defending champions’ home ground.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who lifted last year’s trophy, will not host any of the four playoff matches. Defending champions usually receive the final and one other knockout match. RCB receive neither this time.
The board said the local cricket association and authorities could not deliver what the board directive and protocol required, so the matches went elsewhere. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will stage its third IPL final.
The 2025 final followed the same pattern. The board pulled that match from the Eden Gardens, then home of defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, and handed it to Ahmedabad.
The board added that operational and travel issues meant the playoffs would run across only three venues this year.
Playoff schedule:
26 May: Qualifier 1, Dharamsala 27 May: Eliminator, Mullanpur 29 May: Qualifier 2, Mullanpur 31 May: Final, Ahmedabad
