What should have been the biggest celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans turned into one of the worst nightmare last year. On June 4, a day after RCB lifted their maiden IPL title in 2025, a victory parade near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ended in a stampede that claimed 11 lives.
Now, the franchise has decided to honour those fans in a way that will be remembered forever. RCB will keep 11 seats permanently empty at the stadium as a tribute to the lives lost.
According to a report by the Times of India, the team will also wear jersey number 11 during practice sessions and black armbands during their IPL 2026 campaign to remember the victims.
Confirming this, RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said during a press conference, "In memory of the 11 fans who we lost on June 4, the players will be wearing jersey number 11 for practice. Not during the match, but during practice sessions before the game.
"Apart from that, they will also wear black armbands. We are also looking at having 11 permanent seats empty in Chinnaswamy Stadium forever. This is for the 11 fans who will be with us forever."
New Rules For Chinnaswamy After RCB 2025 Stampede
Following the tragic incident that left every IPL fan devastated, which was mainly caused by overcrowding and poor crowd management in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government suspended matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium for nearly 10 months.
Now, matches have been allowed again, but with strict new rules to avoid such incidents in the future. Following are the new regulations, as per the reports of TOI, that fans must know before the IPL 2026 season starts:
Ticket booking has been restricted strictly to the official RCB app. The franchise have issued clearn warning against the fraudsters. Any unauthorized ticket selling will face strict legal action.
On March 24, Tuesday the ticket booking window went live, and fans can book their tickets now here, but they need to be quick as they are being sold out soon.
Fans will also need to complete a one-time digital KYC by linking a government ID to their ticket via RCB's official platform. Entry will be allowed only through QR-code tickets generated three hours before the match, and no physical tickets will be accepted.
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To manage crowds better, stadium gates will open four hours before the match, and fans are advised to arrive early due to enhanced security checks. Infrastructure has also been improved, with wider entry gates and 13 new gates added to reduce congestion.
Security has been upgraded with over 500 AI-enabled CCTV cameras. Fans are not allowed to carry electronic items, backpacks, or large bags inside the stadium. Celebrations outside the stadium have been banned to prevent overcrowding on surrounding roads.
IPL 2026 Travel Plans For RCB Fans
To ease traffic on match days, the Karnataka government has announced free metro travel for ticket holders. Each match ticket will include a metro QR code, allowing fans to travel for free. Metro services will also run more frequently, with trains running every three minutes to handle the crowd.
Street parking has been banned on major roads like Queens Road and Cubbon Road. Limited parking will be available at selected locations such as Garuda Mall, St. Joseph's schools, and Freedom Park, but must be pre-booked while purchasing match tickets. Only around 1,000 vehicles will be allowed.
Authorities have already conducted one mock drill to find any faults. Another mock drill is scheduled for March 26. Final deployment of police forces will be decided after the drill.
This is not just about rules or changes anymore. For RCB, it's about remembering the fans who were lost and making sure something like this never happens again.