IPL champions Bengaluru to keep 11 seats empty in honour of stampace dead

Bengaluru, India — When Royal Chall Challengers Bengaluru step onto the M Chinnaswamy Stadium field on Saturday to open their 2026 Indian Premier League campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the roar of the home crowd will carry a sombre echo. Eleven seats in the north stand will remain unfilled, permanently reserved for the supporters who died in a stampede during last June’s title celebrations.

The gesture, confirmed by the franchise on Tuesday, honours the 11 fans aged between 14 and 29 who were fatally crushed outside the venue after the team’s maiden IPL triumph. “This is a tribute to our fans, who will always remain a part of our journey,” RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said.

Players will warm up in training tops emblazoned with the number 11 and will wear black arbands during the match, ensuring the memory of the deceased is visible on the sport’s most-watched stage.

The disaster prompted a comprehensive safety review that saw key fixtures relocated after inspectors cited structural and crowd-management deficiencies. The stadium has since been reinstated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, following what Menon describes as “significantly strengthened” safety protocols, including artificial-intelligence-guided cameras that provide real-time, stand-specific crowd counts.

The stampede occurred after RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the final and returned to Bengaluru for a trophy parade that drew hundreds of thousands of revelants onto the streets. Police subsequently questioned several officials, among them a senior RCB executive and representatives from event organiser DNA and the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

With the new season set to begin, the empty seats will serve as a silent reminder that every cheer is also a vigil, and every victory lap is now shared with those who never made it home.