Mumbai Indians have denied Royal Challengers Bengaluru permission to host their IPL 2026 home matches at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, asking the franchise to explore alternative venues first.
The development comes after RCB expressed interest in shifting from Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium following the tragic stampede incident earlier this year. However, MI refused to grant the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC), citing territorial concerns.
MI Question RCB’s Venue Choice
Mumbai Indians questioned why RCB specifically wanted DY Patil Stadium when several established cricket centres remain available across India.
“If a franchise wants to establish a home base not far from the home of another franchise, it needs clearance. Wankhede and DY Patil are not far apart. MI reasoned, ‘Why only DY Patil and not any other stadium in the country? There are plenty,'” a source revealed.
Alternative Venues Suggested
MI pointed to several non-IPL centres where RCB could host matches, including Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Pune, Indore, and Raipur. These venues have previously hosted IPL fixtures and possess adequate infrastructure.
The source explained MI’s territorial concerns: “If MI says yes to DY Patil, then tomorrow some other team can express desire to host matches at Brabourne. It kills the sanctity of home territories.”
Chinnaswamy Stadium Update
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) awaits the state government’s decision on hosting matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Home Minister G Parameshwara has called a meeting for Wednesday to address the issue.
Extensive renovations have been completed based on Justice Cunha Committee recommendations. However, RCB and KSCA have only received conditional permission to host games in Bengaluru.
With MI blocking the DY Patil option, the IPL 2025 champions must now decide whether to return to Chinnaswamy Stadium or explore alternative cities before the upcoming season.
