No opening ceremony for IPL 2026 in honour of RCB stampede victims: BCCI Secretary

The Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) will not have opening ceremony for the upcoming season ahead of the first fixture of the tournament on Saturday, March 28. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the curtain raiser of the season at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

However, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has decided to skip the opening ceremony ahead of the match to pay homage to the 11 victims, who lost their lives during the RCB’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4 2025. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has informed about the board’s decision as a mark of respect to the RCB stampede victims.

"Due to last year's tragic incident on June 4 last year, there will be no formal function on the day of the start of IPL-2026 (in Bengaluru). The BCCI is not organizing any cultural or entertainment show at the start of IPL-19 as a mark of respect to the departed souls due to that tragedy on June 4, 2025,” Devajit Saikia told Times of India.

Saikia confirmed that the board will organise a grand closing ceremony for the cricketing extravaganza.

BCCI to organise a grand closing ceremony

“However, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are planning a grand entertainment function at the closing of the IPL, on the day of the final (May 31)," he added.

The Indian Premier League has had the tradition of starting with a grand opening ceremony every year with performances from top artists of the country. Last season, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, singers Shreya Ghoshal and Karan Aujla lit up the glitzy ceremony at Eden Gardens in Kolkata ahead of the season.

Earlier in 2019, the BCCI also decided not to host the opening ceremony of the IPL to pay tribute to the 40 CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack. Instead, the board used funds to donate to victims’ families.