The decision comes after 11 people were killed in a stampede on June 4 last year during celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title win.
As a result, there will be no pre-match ceremony or celebrations ahead of the opening match on March 28, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
However, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are planning to stage a grand closing ceremony on the day of the final instead. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the development to The Times of India.
“Because of the tragic incident on June 4 last year, there will be no formal opening ceremony on the opening day of IPL 2026. As a mark of respect to those who lost their lives, the BCCI is not organising any cultural or entertainment programme,” Saikia said.
He also added that the board is planning a large-scale entertainment programme for the closing day of the tournament.
Last year’s IPL opening ceremony was held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, featuring performances from Shah Rukh Khan, Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani.
