As reported by The TimesofIndia.com earlier todayIt is understood that the ongoing administrative glitch over tickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium forced the board to shift the title match back to the venue which had hosted the final of the 2025 edition.The move also means Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for the fourth time in five seasons, having previously played for the title clash in 2022, 2023, 2025 and now 2026.Interestingly, this is not the first time that the traditional ‘defending champion hosts the final’ convention has been ignored.

Why should Ahmedabad host the IPL final in 2022 and 2025?

After Chennai Super Kings won IPL 2021, there were hopes that Chennai could host the 2022 final when the tournament fully returns to India after the pandemic disruption. Instead, the BCCI awarded Ahmedabad the hosting rights for the playoffs and finals. However, reports at the time and BCCI’s scheduling decisions pointed towards a combination of post-COVID logistics planning and crowd capacity.IPL 2022 was held under significant operational precautions even after the pandemic. The league stage was largely confined to venues in Maharashtra to minimize travel and bio-bubble complications. When the playoff venues were announced, Kolkata hosted Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while Ahmedabad hosted Qualifier 2 and the final.A similar situation emerged in IPL 2025. Eden Gardens was originally allotted Qualifier 2 and the Final under the normal hosting tradition, after Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL 2024 trophy. But the temporary suspension of the tournament following India-Pakistan tensions forced the BCCI to extend the season window from May 25 to June 3, making scheduling and logistics quite complex.That detail immediately brought weather to mind. With the southwest monsoon predicted to arrive soon in eastern India, concerns have grown over rain disruption in Kolkata during the final week of the tournament. In comparison, Ahmedabad was seen as a safer option in terms of weather.