Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have revealed plans to honour the 11 fans who lost their lives in the tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the victory parade that followed their IPL 2025 title win.
With the IPL 2026 season approaching, RCB CEO Rajesh Menon confirmed that the franchise will leave 11 seats permanently vacant at their home venue. In addition, players will wear jersey No. 11 during pre-match practice sessions ahead of the season opener as a mark of respect for the victims.
Speaking at a press conference on March 24, Menon said, “In memory of the 11 fans who we lost on June 4, the players will be wearing jersey number 11 for the practice, on the game day, on the practice time before the match. So all the players will have jersey number 11 on the back, not for the game but for the practice.”
Tragedy During Title Celebrations
The incident occurred on June 4, 2025, amid RCB’s historic IPL title celebrations. The franchise ended an 18-year wait to secure their maiden trophy last season. However, overcrowding during the festivities led to the death of 11 fans, while more than 50 others sustained injuries. The Karnataka government later held RCB and other organisers responsible, and the franchise subsequently announced financial assistance for the affected families.
Menon further stated, “Apart from that, they will also be wearing a black armband on that day. We are also looking at having 11 permanent seats empty in Chinnaswamy Stadium forever. This is for the 11 fans who will be with us forever. That’s a quick update on what we are doing this year.”
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RCB are scheduled to play five of their home fixtures at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the remaining two matches set to be staged in Raipur. They will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 in Bengaluru.
