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New Delhi: A major political and sporting controversy erupted after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final officially shifted from M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, to Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

The IPL norms state that the defending champion’s home ground hosts the final, and by that IPL convention rules, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the IPL 2025 and was set to host the final of the IPL 2026, but the final has officially been pulled out of Bengaluru.

Before the IPL 2026 commenced, a major controversy began when Karnataka MLAs demanded compulsory IPL tickets. Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar publicly said that legislators are VIPs and should receive at least five tickets each.

Later, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister joined the heat and said MLAs and MPs should receive three IPL tickets each for RCB games in Bengaluru.

Now, after the venue officially shifted, Shivakumar denied the allegations for any connection between the ticket controversy.

‘Ahmedabad has a bigger stadium’: DK Shivakumar

Shivakumar said Ahmedabad has a bigger stadium and can accommodate more people, which is why the IPL 2026 final has been shifted there. He added that there is no relation between MLA ticket requests and the shifting of the IPL final.

The BCCI stated the requirements from authorities in the statement after shifting the IPL final. Shivakumar responded, “Let them make such statements; I will give an appropriate reply.”

The Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that a 50 per cent reservation exists in other places too, while replying to the ticket controversy issue.

Bengaluru didn’t get any IPL playoff games, as the Qualifier 1 is in Dharmashala, while the Eliminator and Qualifier will be played in New Chandigarh before the tournament moves to Ahmedabad for the final.

Shivakumar strongly asserted that the IPL matches should not be moved out of Bengaluru as the Chinnaswamy Stadium is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka.