Bengaluru Could Lose Women's World Cup Matches

Bengaluru Could Lose Women's World Cup Matches

M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was originally set to host the tournament’s opening game, featuring India, on September 30, as well as four other matches. Thiruvananthapuram is likely to replace Bengaluru as the venue for the 2025 Women's World Cup.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru may lose its hosting rights for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup matches due to a delay in securing police approvals. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA missed the August 10 deadline set by the BCCI to get the necessary clearances, putting the venue’s participation in serious doubt.

As a backup, the Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being considered as an alternative. For now, Bengaluru is scheduled to host several key matches, including the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, England vs South Africa on October 3, India vs Bangladesh on October 26, the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2 if Pakistan doesn’t qualify.

Meanwhile, Greenfields Stadium is preparing to host the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) from August 21 to September 7. However, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) reportedly has a backup plan to shift the KCL to another venue if needed for the World Cup. According to ICC rules, any venue hosting World Cup matches must be handed over to organisers at least one month before the tournament begins. That means the BCCI and ICC need to make a decision within the next week, especially since Thiruvananthapuram is also expected to host warm-up matches on September 25 and 27.

As of Monday, when the ICC marked the 50-day countdown to the tournament in Mumbai, the police commissioner’s office confirmed that KSCA had not yet received clearance for Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Currently, KSCA is hosting the Maharaja Trophy T20 tournament in Mysore. This event was originally planned for Chinnaswamy Stadium but had to be moved after KSCA failed to get police permission, even though they offered to hold matches without spectators. As a last resort, KSCA is now exploring the idea of hosting World Cup matches at Chinnaswamy with reduced crowd capacity. However, it’s unclear if the BCCI would approve this, especially since the stadium is also the designated venue for the final if Pakistan doesn’t qualify.

The KSCA has been under scrutiny since June 4, when a tragic stampede occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade after winning IPL 2025. Eleven people died and more than 50 were injured near the stadium. Following the incident, KSCA secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned, taking moral responsibility.

A government-appointed committee later investigated the stampede and declared Chinnaswamy Stadium “unsafe” for large-scale events. The report strongly recommended shifting major matches to venues better equipped to handle big crowds.

This uncertainty could disrupt plans for several teams that were hoping to base themselves in Bengaluru ahead of the tournament. Many had planned to train at nearby facilities, including the KSCA ground in Alur, but those arrangements may now need to change depending on the final decision.