Royal Challengers Bengaluru to pay tribute to Bengaluru stampede victims ahead of IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Karnataka State Cricket Association plan plaque, 11 empty seats, and tributes to honour stampede victims.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Karnataka State Cricket Association will honour the 11 fans who lost their lives in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s IPL title celebrations on June 4, 2025.
The tribute will include a memorial plaque near the stadium entrance. Also, 11 seats in the main stand will be kept empty at every match to remember the fans who died.
As the IPL matches return to the stadium, special tributes will be held before games. There will be a minute of silence, and the names of the victims will be shown. Visiting teams are also expected to take part in the tribute to show respect.
RCB to honour victims with special gesture before IPL 2026 opener
As per The Times of India, the Karnataka State Cricket Association will install a memorial plaque near the inner entrance of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, close to the mural. This will create a permanent space in the stadium to remember both the happy moments fans have enjoyed and the sadness of that night.
Along with the plaque, 11 seats will be permanently reserved inside the stadium in memory of the victims. These seats will not be sold for any matches, including international games. They will likely be together in a main stand as a mark of respect.
On match days, the Rajat Patidar-led team will lead tributes before the game starts. The names of the victims will be shown inside the stadium, followed by a minute of silence. The visiting team is also expected to join in the tribute.
What happened in the Bengaluru stampede incident
June 4, 2025, remains a tragic day for Bengaluru. On that day, 11 people lost their lives outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the IPL title celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The incident left a deep impact on the city and the cricket community.
Around 33 people, including a six-year-old girl, were injured in the stampede. Thousands of fans had gathered near the stadium to celebrate RCB’s IPL 2025 victory. The situation turned chaotic near one of the gates where the team was expected to arrive, leading to a stampede-like situation.
Several people suffered breathing problems due to the heavy crowd. Four people were declared dead at Vaidehi Hospital and six at Bowring Hospital. Most of the deaths were caused by suffocation. PM Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident. He said his thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery for those injured.
The tragedy highlighted the need for better crowd management and safety measures at large public events to prevent such incidents in the future.
Fans appreciate RCB’s tribute ahead of IPL 2026 season
Fans have appreciated the tribute planned by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Karnataka State Cricket Association ahead of IPL 2026. Many people on social media called it a respectful and meaningful gesture to honour the victims.
Some fans shared emotional messages. One said, “Good decision by RCB. We hope such an incident never happens again.” Another wrote, “Some scars do not fade, they are remembered. Respect for the gesture. May their souls rest in peace.”
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