Big trouble is brewing up for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as their IPL 2026 matches at the iconic Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur are now under serious threat. The franchise had raised major safety concerns about their home ground and reportedly planned to shift base to another city.

CM Office calls an urgent high-level meeting with the Rajasthan Royals

The issue has become so serious that the Rajasthan Chief Minister’s Office has called an urgent high-level meeting with Rajasthan Royals officials. The meeting is expected on February 17 or February 18, but it is still not clear whether the Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will attend.

The source at the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) official has confirmed the same to the Times of India. He revealed, “The meeting for Tuesday or Wednesday is confirmed, but whether the CM will attend it or not is still not known.”

700-page audit report sparks shock

All the drama began after a detailed independent audit of the Sawai Man Singh Stadium. The Royals had asked Tata Projects to carry out this inspection between late December and late January. They have prepared an audit report of around 700 pages.

The report reportedly highlighted serious faults. It pointed out concerns about the structural strength of some parts of the stadium. It also exposed fire safety gaps, poor emergency evacuation routes, and other safety issues at the venue.

RR ask for full clearance after structural and fire safety issues exposed

The audit checked the stadium as per national rules like the National Building Code, National Electric Code, and fire safety standards. They have found that the stadium does not fully meet the required norms for hosting large crowds during the IPL.

The Rajasthan Royals have asked for clear safety approval from the BCCI, the IPL Governing Council, and state authorities. The franchise said that they are ready to continue playing their home games in Jaipur, but only if proper safety clearance is given.

Government pushes back, calls stadium safe

However, Rajasthan’s Chief Secretary V Srinivas has written to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and stressed that spectator safety is their top priority. He also mentioned that a high-level committee, including experts from MNIT and PWD engineers, inspected the stadium.

This committee reportedly found the stadium safe overall and said only minor improvements are needed. These different views have created confusion and tension among the franchise, state government, and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).

Rajasthan Royals' home matches are likely to be moved to Pune

There is growing fear that if the safety issues are not resolved quickly, some or all Rajasthan Royals home matches for IPL 2026 could shift to another city, possibly Pune, and it will be a huge loss to the local business and pride of the state.

Recently, Assam all-rounder Riyan Parag was named the new captain of the Rajasthan Royals after Sanju Samson’s departure to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2026. Players like Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel were overlooked for the top role by the management.