Rajasthan Royals Eye Pune Move Amid RCA Tensions: IPL 2026 Venue Shift

“RCB had also approached us for hosting their IPL 2026 home games, and the discussions are still ongoing with them. Now, the Rajasthan Royals have approached us for hosting their home games in IPL 2026.”

“They had come to Pune recently, inspected the stadium, done the recce around it and have also shown willingness to host a part of their home matches here. Now it is left with the BCCI to confirm the venue and which team’s matches it will host in IPL 2026,” Pisal told IANS on Sunday.

RR’s decision to move some of their home matches away from their primary venue at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur arises from ongoing disagreements with the Rajasthan Cricket Association. As IPL 2008 winners, RR also have an alternative home ground at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, where they will host a few fixtures in the 2026 season.

Tensions escalated in IPL 2025 when an RCA official levelled match-fixing allegations against the franchise, something which they categorically denied while calling for strict action against the individual concerned.

It is understood that, with two IPL teams willing to host games in Pune, the association is in contemplation mode and a final decision is expected in the coming days.

Another MCA official told IANS that they are inclined to accept RR's offer, even as RCB has sought time from the association until the IPL auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 to make a final decision on their home venue for 2026.

Apart from hosting men’s international matches across all formats, including the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup and the Women’s T20 Challenge, the MCA Stadium has also served as the home ground for Pune Warriors India, Rising Pune Supergiant, and Punjab Kings at various times during the 2010s IPL seasons. The MCA Stadium in Pune will also host an AR Rahman concert, scheduled to begin at 5 pm on Sunday.

- IANS