RCB’s DY Patil plan ruled out; Mumbai Indians ask franchise to explore other venues for 2026 IPL

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are now looking elsewhere for an alternative home venue for the 2026 Indian Premier League season, after the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai was ruled out. According to a Times of India report, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have asked RCB to exhaust other options before considering the venue, which falls within the same catchment area as MI’s home ground.

Sources tracking the developments said MI’s concern is that allowing RCB to set up a base in Navi Mumbai could create a precedent, potentially diluting the sanctity of home territories in the IPL. If a franchise wants to establish a home base near another franchise’s home ground, it needs approval. Wankhede and DY Patil are not far apart, and RCB cannot set up DY Patil as their base without the consent of the franchise operating out of Wankhede.

MI reportedly questioned why RCB would prefer DY Patil over other available stadiums across the country. There are many non-IPL centres in the country, including established venues such as Rajkot, Pune, Raipur, Vizag and Indore. MI feels that if it agrees to DY Patil, other teams could seek to host matches at venues such as Brabourne, setting a wrong precedent. The source added that there must be a strong rationale if RCB insists on DY Patil rather than choosing from other venues.

RCB has already held detailed discussions with the Chhattisgarh government to host at least two home matches in Raipur during the 2026 season. With DY Patil no longer in the race, Indore has emerged as a leading option for the remaining five matches. There were discussions when DY Patil was still in the mix, but now that it is out, Indore is back in contention.

Since the tragic stampede on June 4, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted a major cricket match. The iconic venue is currently undergoing upgrades based on the Justice D’Cunha committee’s 17 recommendations, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has already initiated work on most of them. RCB officials also met Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday. The meeting was attended by RCB COO Rajesh Menon, KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad, and other representatives.

Prasad expressed optimism following the meeting, but the franchise continues to explore alternate venues. With the season approaching, RCB must communicate its decision to the IPL Governing Council and the BCCI soon to ensure timely release of the 2026 fixtures.