IPL 2026 Playoffs: Three Cities to Host Matches for First Time, RCB's Home Ground Misses Out

There is a tradition in the world's most popular T20 cricket league i.e. IPL that the team that wins the final gets to host the final match on their home ground next year. This time Royal Challengers Bangalore is the defending champion of IPL, but the final match of IPL 2026 will not be played at their home ground M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The reason behind this is why Bengaluru has been chosen to host the final? Know about this and also why this time BCCI has chosen to host the playoffs in three cities instead of two? Actually, BCCI has announced the schedule of IPL 2026 playoffs matches on Wednesday, May 6, which includes two qualifiers, an eliminator and a final. We have seen that in IPL playoffs are held in two cities, but this time three cities have been given the hosting of four matches. These include Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, 1 qualifier on Dharamsala and a qualifier on 2026, and there is usually a final in any other city.