The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the venues for the Indian Premier League 2026 playoffs. Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will host the final.
Qualifier 1 will be played in Dharamsala, while both Qualifier 2 and the Eliminator will take place in New Chandigarh.
As per tradition, the final is played at the home ground of the defending champions. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the trophy last year, which is why Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was expected to host the grand final.
However, IPL stakeholders officially cited “operational and logistical considerations” for shifting the playoffs across multiple venues. Multiple reports also suggest that the recent controversy involving complimentary IPL tickets for Karnataka MLAs played a role behind the scenes.
With the final now set for Ahmedabad, the Narendra Modi Stadium will host the title clash for the fourth time in the past five seasons. It was also the venue where Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the trophy in their previous final appearance.
“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of the BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the BCCI confirmed in a statement.
Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams on the points table, is scheduled for May 26 at the HPCA Stadium, with a spot in the final at stake. The tournament will then move to the New International Cricket Stadium, where the Eliminator between the third and fourth-placed sides will take place on May 27. The same venue will also host Qualifier 2 on May 29, in which the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist.
Playoff Schedule for IPL 2026
* Qualifier 1 — May 26, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
* Eliminator — May 27, New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
* Qualifier 2 — May 29, New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
* Final — May 31, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
For latest sports updates: Follow RevSportz