Women's ODI World Cup 2025: Karnataka government denies permission to host matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium

The Karnataka government has denied permission for the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to host any matches of the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. The decision has been made just weeks before the tournament’s start on September 30, forcing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift fixtures to other venues.

The venue change comes from the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, which investigated the tragic stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 victory parade on June 4. The celebrations outside Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and injured more than 50.

The commission’s report pointed to multiple safety hazards at the stadium, including inadequate entry and exit points, poor public transport connectivity, lack of proper queuing areas, insufficient emergency evacuation plans, and minimal parking space. It concluded that the stadium’s design and structure made it fundamentally unsafe for large gatherings, declaring that hosting major events could be risky to public safety.

Maharaja Trophy T20 matches moved to Mysuru

Bengaluru was initially allotted four Women’s World Cup matches by the ICC, including fixtures like India vs Sri Lanka, England vs South Africa, and India vs Bangladesh. The venue was also shortlisted to host the tournament final on November 2, provided Pakistan did not qualify.

However, following the Karnataka cabinet’s acceptance of the commission’s recommendations, the government refused clearance for the matches, even after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) proposed holding them behind closed doors without spectators. However, the request was turned down.

Meanwhile, recently, the Chinnaswamy Stadium was stopped from hosting the Maharaja Trophy T20 matches for the same safety reasons, with games moved to Mysuru. The KSCA mentioned that Chinnaswamy has successfully hosted over 750 matches, including nearly 15 IPL seasons, without major incident. Officials also pointed out that the June 4 event was a privately organised celebration, not an official cricket match.

“Even our request to host matches without spectators was turned down,” a KSCA official said as quoted by India Today.

With Chinnaswamy being Karnataka’s only international-standard venue, Royal Challengers Bengaluru may face issues over hosting their home matches in IPL 2026, potentially forcing them to relocate to another city.