BCCI cancels IPL 2026 opening ceremony
The decision is a somber one, made as a mark of respect for the 11 people who lost their lives in a tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025.
IPL 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has indeed confirmed the cancellation of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) opening ceremony, which was originally slated for this Saturday in Bengaluru.
The decision is a somber one, made as a mark of respect for the 11 people who lost their lives in a tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025, during the celebrations of the local team’s maiden title win.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the board will not host any cultural or entertainment shows at the start of the season to honor the “departed souls” from last year’s tragedy.
The cricket itself will proceed as scheduled. The season opener features the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST.
The stadium will feature 11 permanently empty seats during all matches as a memorial. A plaque will be installed near the entry gate. Players are expected to wear black armbands, and a minute of silence will be observed before the first ball.
While the opening ceremony are cancelled, the BCCI is currently planning a “grand entertainment function” for the closing ceremony, which will take place on the day of the final, May 31, 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
This is the first time the IPL has scrapped an opening ceremony since 2019, when the event was cancelled following the Pulwama terror attack and the funds were donated to the families of the martyred soldiers.
