IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals Set to Play Home Matches at Pune's MCA Stadium

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are getting close to moving their home games outside of Jaipur despite the continued disagreements between the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) and the IPL franchise. For the 2026 season of the lucrative competition, RR appears to have decided to play at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune rather than their old home venue at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

The Royals will also play some of their home games in Guwahati, as they have done for the past few seasons. In the past, IPL teams used Pune's MCA Stadium as a temporary home base. The Chennai Super Kings won the championship after using the venue in 2018. The Royals will be hoping for a similar outcome.

Before this, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru was also vying to play in Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Pune. Since the RCB's victory parade degenerated into a stampede that killed eleven bystanders, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended and is still awaiting security procedures. 

IPL 2026 Big Update:

🚨 REPORTS 🚨

Pune is likely to host Rajasthan Royals’ home games in IPL 2026. 🩷

(Source: RevSportz)#Cricket#RR#IPL2026pic.twitter.com/UZ6381rI7W

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) January 1, 2026

Because of safety and security concerns, the state government and police refused to allow the Karnataka State Cricket Association to host Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. However, attempts have been made to return the games to the location after Venkatesh Prasad was elected president of the KSCA. The Rajasthan franchise was able to close the sale since negotiations between MCA and RCB never concluded.

However, according to the FPJ, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur is also facing similar security issues as a result of its noncompliance with safety evacuation protocols. Furthermore, despite court orders requesting the appointment of administrators, RCA, the venue's administration, is also in disarray.

In 2012, the now-defunct Pune Warriors India and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) played their maiden IPL match at the site. After hosting PWI's home games for the following two seasons, the location became the permanent home of the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants.

Watch this space for more cricket news and updates.