Mumbai Indians (MI) have refused to let Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) use the DY Patil Stadium for the 2026 IPL season. RCB sought to move their home matches away from M. Chinnaswamy Stadium following a stampede. They looked at the stadium in Navi Mumbai as a primary backup option. However, MI did not give them the required No Objection Certificate (NOC).
MI officials believe RCB should prioritize other cities. They pointed out that many other stadiums across India do not host IPL teams. These include venues in Rajkot, Pune, Indore, and Vizag. MI wants to protect the “sanctity” of their home territory. Since DY Patil Stadium is very close to MI’s main home, Wankhede Stadium, they believe another team playing there could cause issues.
MI also concerns itself with setting a bad example. If they allow RCB to play at DY Patil, other teams might request to play there in the future. Both stadiums are in the same general area. MI argues that RCB must show strong reasons why they cannot play in other available cities across the country.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Cricket Association is waiting for updates from the state government. They hope to get full permission to host matches in Bengaluru after making safety improvements. For now, RCB remains in a tough spot as they search for a confirmed home for the 2026 season.
