Search Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) home for IPL 2026 The season took a dramatic turn. While the defending champions were initially set to play five of their home games at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, that option is now officially off the table due to official interference. Mumbai Indians (MI).
Why did Mumbai Indians stop RCB from playing their IPL 2026 matches at DY Patil Stadium?
This is stated in an exclusive report Times of IndiaRCB’s search for a temporary home in the IPL 2026 season has hit a major roadblock in Navi Mumbai. While the franchise is eyeing the DY Patil Stadium as a secondary base, MI have reportedly urged RCB to look for alternative venues across the country to protect their territorial rights.
Mumbai have officially barred RCB from using the DY Patil Stadium, citing the league’s set ground protocols. According to a source following the development, MI feel that allowing another franchise to operate so close to the Wankhede Stadium would set a dangerous precedent. The source explained this Times of India: “If a franchise wants to set up a home base very far from another franchisee’s home, it needs permission to go ahead. It’s the same catchment area. Wankhede and DY Patil are not too far apart. If a franchise wants to set up a home base in DY Patil, it can’t happen without permission from someone operating outside Wankhede.”
The Mumbai-based franchise has taken a firm stance on preserving the sanctity of home grounds to avoid a ‘free-for-all’ situation in the future. The source further elaborated on M.I.’s reasoning, noting: “MI feels that RCB should exhaust other options before coming in for DY Patil. There are so many non-IPL centers in the country. There are established centers like Rajkot, Pune, Raipur, Vizag and Indore. The current situation is simple, if MI says yes to DY Patil, tomorrow another team can come and express their desire to play their matches at Brabourne. It kills the sanctity of home territories. There must be a strong justification for RCB not being ready to play these centers and only interested in DY Patil.
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IPL 2026: Raipur and Indore emerge as main alternatives amid Chinnaswamy uncertainty
With the Navi Mumbai option now effectively off the table, RCB has intensified talks with other state associations to finalize the 2026 route. The franchise has already made significant progress in Chhattisgarh Times of India reports that: “RCB has held detailed talks with the Chhattisgarh government to host at least two home matches in Raipur in the 2026 edition.” Consequently, with the DY Patil Stadium already a suitable candidate, Holkar Stadium, Indore saw a resurgence of interest in the remaining five home matches.
“Times of India” source confirmed this change: “There was talk when DY Patil was also in the race, but now that he is no more, Indore is back in the mix.” Meanwhile, fate M. Chinnaswamy Stadium After the tragic June 2025 stampede, it remains in the hands of the Karnataka government.
While the KSCA is working on the Justice D’Cunha committee’s 17 recommendations, the decision is subject to a high-level security review. Clarifying the government’s cautious stance, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, “At Wednesday’s meeting, senior government, police and legal officials will discuss what can be done at the government level and directions to the KSCA. The extent of the resolution of the problems mentioned by Justice D’Cunha’s committee should be considered. We need the CM’s permission.”
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