Chinnaswamy Stadium gets conditional nod to host matches; crowd capacity to be decided after safety review

The Karnataka government has granted temporary, conditional permission for hosting cricket matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, including IPL and international fixtures, subject to strict compliance with safety norms and continuous monitoring by an expert committee.

All cricket activities had come to a halt at the stadium after 11 people were killed in a stampede outside the venue during the celebrations for RCB’s first IPL trophy last year.

Expert committee

Acting on the recommendations of the government-appointed expert committee that was set up after the tragedy, authorities have directed that all works and safety measures suggested by the panel must be completed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) within the stipulated timeframe.

The permission has been issued with clear riders, allowing the government and a high-level monitoring committee to oversee progress at the stadium on an ongoing basis.

Officials have stipulated that, in addition to complying with the expert committee’s recommendations, KSCA must implement all additional safety and security measures mandated under international standards while hosting matches.

The government has further retained the authority to inspect the stadium at any stage and to revise or withdraw the permission if the compliance or safety arrangements are found to be inadequate or unsatisfactory.

Number of spectators

Significantly, as the proposed works are still in progress, the authorities have stated that it is not possible at this stage to specify the permissible number of spectators. The final decision on spectator capacity will be taken only after the completion of all works and safety measures, followed by a fresh inspection and report by the expert committee. Approval for crowd capacity will be granted strictly in accordance with the committee’s recommendations.

Positive step: KSCA

The KSCA, meanwhile, viewed this development as a ‘positive step’ towards bringing top-quality cricket back to the stadium. The newly elected managing committee, headed by President and former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad, will work round the clock to implement all safety measures, KSCA officials claimed.

The promise to restore the glory of the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was the key issue in the recent KSCA elections. The stadium has missed out on hosting several high-profile matches — including the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final — as a result of the stampede. The city has also not been allotted any matches for the upcoming 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

In December last year, star cricketer Virat Kohli had played two matches for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy behind closed doors at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on the outskirts of the city, after the State government denied permission for hosting these matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.