Chinnaswamy stadium fails safety standards, ICC matches likely to be relocated

Justice John Michael D'Cunha has declared that M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru does not meet the safety standards required for mass gatherings. The investigation began after the massive tragedy of a stampede that occurred on June 2, 2025 when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL finals and people went head over heels with celebration.

Stampede fallout: Chinnaswamy stadium branded as unsafe, faces major event relocations

The Justice’s statement serves as a crucial directive to prevent future stampede-like incidents during mass gatherings, particularly with high-profile events such as the Women’s World Cup matches which are scheduled to be held at the venue later this year.

The incident of stampede occurred on July 2 when the RCB team brought the IPL trophy to its home ground. Reportedly 11 people who were present in the celebration were killed and that made the authorities to examine the capacity of the stadium. 

The appointed justice spoke with a news publication and said, “The design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering”. 

The stadium lacks a designated queueing area, is poorly separated from public roads, and has inadequate connectivity to public transportation networks. So, basing these the one-man commission stated in its report saying, “Given these systemic limitations, the commission strongly recommends that stadium authorities consider relocating events that are expected to attract large crowds to venues that are better suited for such large gatherings”.

The ICC Women’s World Cup matches, originally scheduled to be held at this stadium during the months of September to November, may be relocated to other venues across the country following the Karnataka Government’s compliance with the Commission’s directive.

The commission came up with a suggestive remedial measure that can help prevent any such accidents in the future. The report said, “adequate entry-exit gates for mass entry and exit (ingress and egress), and emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms” can have a greater effect in crowd control.

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