The Karnataka government has denied permission for Bengaluru’s iconic M. Chinnaswamy stadium to host any matches in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 due to serious safety concerns following the June 4 stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) IPL victory celebration, which claimed 11 lives and injured many others. The stadium has a rich history of hosting major cricket events, is now under confusion and faces scrutiny over its infrastructure and crowd management capabilities, putting its future as a venue for International cricket in doubt.
Safety concerns led to Bengaluru losing Women’s World Cup matches
Following the stampede incident on June 4, 2025, which resulted in 11 deaths and many injuries, a judicial commission led by Justice John Michael D’Cunha was formed to investigate the incident. The commission’s report highlighted critical flaws in the stadium’s infrastructure. These included insufficient entry and exit points, poor connectivity to public transport, lack of proper queuing areas, inadequate emergency evacuation plans, and limited parking facilities. The report ultimately declared the stadium “fundamentally unsafe” for hosting large-scale public events.
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Originally, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was set to host key matches during the Women’s ODI World Cup, including the opening game between India and Sri Lanka, a semi-final, and other fixtures involving major teams like England, South Africa, and Bangladesh. The stadium was also scheduled to host the opening ceremony of the tournament.
Despite the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s efforts to seek permission, even proposing to hold matches without spectators, the government denied clearance, emphasizing public safety risks. KSCA officials expressed disappointment, pointing out the stadium’s history of successfully hosting over 750 matches and multiple IPL seasons without incident. They also clarified that the stampede occurred during a private event, not an official cricket match.
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With no other international cricket venue in Karnataka, the BCCI now faces the challenge of relocating these crucial fixtures to other venues at short notice. This situation also casts uncertainty over Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home ground for IPL 2026. As the Women’s World Cup draws closer, the match venues reshuffling remains a top priority for the BCCI. It is highly likely that the Greenfield International Stadium at Karyavattom in Thiruvananthapuram will host a few matches of the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.
