IPL 2026: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to pay tribute to the 11 lives lost in last year's tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium with the unveiling of a memorial plaque,
RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title victory celebration turned into a devastating incident, as in a tragic incident, 11 cricket fans were killed in a stampede.
According to a report in The Times Of India, RCB and KSCA will honour the stampede victims with a memorial plaque at the stadium's inner entrance and also 11 seats will be permanently reserved and cordoned off in memory of the victims. The seats will also remain unsold for all IPL and international matches as a mark of respect to the victims.
The KSCA president, Venkatesh Prasad, announced that the plaque has been placed in the stadium, but it hasn’t been revealed.
“It is painful to even think about the tragic incident. But we have been discussing the memorial for a while with the managing committee and other major stakeholders, and collectively felt it was important to honour the memory of the 11 people. We don’t want to rekindle any pain; instead, remember them. That’s why we decided to place an epitaph of the cricket fans whose lives were cut short tragically,” Prasad told The Times Of India.
“It’s a joint decision between the KSCA and the franchise since they are an integral part of the Chinnaswamy Stadium,” he added.
As per the TOI, RCB, which will play its IPL 2026 season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, will also lead a tribute before the start of the match, with the victims' names displayed on stadium screens, followed by a minute's silence. The visiting team is also expected to join in.