The Duleep Trophy 2026-27 final has been moved from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru to the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, allowing spectators to attend the summit clash. The final will take place from September 6-10, with the venue change aimed at giving fans an opportunity to watch the domestic first-class tournament’s title clash live at the stadium.“The Duleep Trophy is an important first-class tournament in our calendar and carries a rich legacy. The quality of cricket is always high, and we want fans to have the opportunity to watch the final live at the stadium,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement.The decision to move the final was primarily driven by restrictions on crowd attendance at the CoE. Saikia said that shifting the match to Chennai would allow supporters to be part of the occasion while also providing a more suitable setting for the tournament’s concluding fixture.“There are certain restrictions regarding crowd attendance at the CoE, and we felt it was appropriate to move the final to a venue where fans can attend and be part of the occasion,” he added.The board secretary had said earlier this month that restrictions imposed when the land for the CoE was procured meant spectators could not be allowed at the facility.“There are some restrictions while this land was adopted here… that we cannot have a crowd in this campus. So, that is a government restriction. We cannot violate that,” he had told select media in Bengaluru.The remainder of the tournament will go ahead as scheduled at the CoE, beginning on August 23. East Zone will face Northeast Zone in one quarter-final, while North Zone will take on West Zone in the other. Three of the four quarter-finalists feature high-profile players, including Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ruturaj Gaikwad.Story continues below this adSouth Zone and Central Zone are already in the semi-finals, which will also be played at the CoE from August 30.The BCCI has also increased the tournament’s broadcast coverage this season. All Duleep Trophy matches will be streamed live, while television coverage will be available for one quarter-final, one semi-final and the final.The CoE has hosted many red-ball and white-ball matches over the past year. India A and South Africa A played two unofficial ‘Tests’ last year, the second of which the visitors won by chasing down 417 runs in the fourth innings. The 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final were also held at the facility, with Vidarbha beating Saurashtra by 38 runs to clinch the title. Central Zone are the reigning Duleep Trophy champions, having beaten South Zone by six wickets in Bengaluru last year.Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.Tags:Duleep Trophy