The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has been cleared to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home fixtures in IPL 2026, though matches will be staged under tightened safety protocols. The Karnataka government has introduced comprehensive crowd management measures aimed at ensuring spectator security during the tournament.
As per a News18 report, authorities have designed a “well-planned mechanism” to regulate fan movement and maintain order. One of the most notable decisions is the reduction in stadium capacity, with only 28,000 spectators permitted to attend matches. Despite the venue’s overall capacity of 35,000, officials have opted to limit attendance to allow organisers and law enforcement agencies to coordinate more effectively.
“Eighty per cent of the tickets must be sold online, while the remaining offline tickets can only be sold three days before the match,” a top source told CNN-News18.
Tournament organisers, including RCB, have been directed to closely supervise the ticket distribution process to prevent any risk of overcrowding.
The precautionary steps follow the stampede incident that occurred during celebrations after RCB secured their maiden IPL title in 2025, when an estimated 1.5 lakh fans gathered around the stadium, leading to severe congestion.
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To address crowd pressure this season, designated holding areas have been set up outside the venue, while entry gates have been expanded to facilitate safer movement for spectators, the report added.
“There will be colour coding of the tickets and the seats will correspond to that colour. People cannot cross over to another gate if their ticket indicates a different colour.”
“For instance, if someone has a yellow ticket, they will be directed only towards the gates marked yellow and seated in that zone. They cannot move to another area. This helps both the ushers and the police quickly identify where spectators are located and respond immediately if a situation arises,” the official explained.
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Authorities have also highlighted concerns regarding sudden spikes in metro commuters on match days. To manage the expected rush, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will deploy additional coaches and increase train frequency around the stadium.
“This time, BMRCL has been instructed to continuously share passenger numbers travelling towards the metro stations around the stadium,” an official said.
