Ahmedabad Replaces Bengaluru As IPL 2026 Final Host

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the Indian Premier League 2026 final will now take place in Ahmedabad instead of Bengaluru. This is a major change in the tournament’s playoff schedule, as Ahmedabad was not originally selected to host the final. Following this decision, the IPL 2026 final will now be played on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The BCCI explained that the decision was taken after discussions with local officials and the state cricket association over “certain requirements.” Even though Bengaluru successfully hosted matches earlier in the season, the authorities decided to move the final elsewhere. The move also comes after last year’s tragic incident outside the stadium, where 11 fans died in a stampede.

"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," said the BCCI in a statement.

Meanwhile before the final, the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala will host Qualifier 1 on May 26, while the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh will stage the Eliminator on May 27 and Qualifier 2 on May 29. The BCCI explained this move by saying that the current season is a ‘special case’ in which they have selected three different venues for the playoffs round.

"Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case," said the BCCI in a statement.

Interestingly, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) came out with their own explanation after the BCCI shifted the IPL 2026 playoffs. They said the association was ready to hold tournament matches, but the BCCI took this decision unilaterally without informing them.

"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." said the KSCA statement.

During IPL 2025, the playoff games were divided across two stadiums. New Chandigarh was selected for Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, whereas Ahmedabad hosted Qualifier 2 along with the final.

The arrangement for this season may slightly favour the team that wins Qualifier 1. In most cases, Qualifier 2 and the final are held at the same venue, allowing the winning side to stay there. However, this time both teams reaching the final will need to travel to another city for the title clash.