Before a ball was bowled on Saturday, M Chinnaswamy Stadium fell silent. Royal Challengers Bengaluru observed a pre-match moment of silence ahead of their IPL 2026 opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad a tribute to the 11 fans who died in the crowd crush outside this very ground on June 4, 2025, the day RCB brought home their first-ever IPL title.
Players from both sides wore black armbands. During warm-ups, the RCB squad changed into practice jerseys bearing the number 11. And for the entire season, 11 seats inside Chinnaswamy will stay empty.
What happened on June 4
The tragedy unfolded a day after RCB beat Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final, ending an 18-year wait for a title. When the team returned to Bengaluru, a felicitation event was organised at Chinnaswamy plans for an open-top bus parade had already been dropped. Lakhs of fans turned up. The entry gates couldn’t handle it. A crush outside the stadium killed 11 people and left many others injured.
In the memory of our 11 dear fans. 🙏
Etched into Chinnaswamy, forever part of our RCB family. ♥️#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2026 #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/8nhpmWVZ4e— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 28, 2026
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Cricket at Chinnaswamy was suspended for months after the incident, with matches and events shifted elsewhere. The tragedy also forced a hard look at how large-scale events are managed in the city.
What’s changed ahead of IPL 2026
Authorities and the Karnataka State Cricket Association have put several safety measures in place mock drills, tighter surveillance, and stricter access control.
RCB CEO Rajesh Menon credited the state government’s involvement: “I would like to thank the Karnataka state government the CM, DCM, HM, Commissioner, and Joint Commissioner. We have an SOP from the Karnataka High Court which we have to follow with KSCA, RCB, and DNA under the guidance of the Karnataka state police.” The BCCI also decided against holding a grand opening ceremony in Bengaluru this year, opting for a quieter start to the season out of respect for the victims.