Mumbai/Vadodara, September 18, 2026
Gujarat already has India’s default finals arena. Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — about 132,000 seats — has staged the 2023 ODI World Cup final, the 2026 T20 World Cup final, and multiple IPL title matches.
The question now being asked in Vadodara is whether the newer Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, also called Kotambi or the VadodarInternational Cricket Stadium, is next.
Not as a copy of Motera. As a second Gujarat stage, though, the climb has been unusually fast.
Amin in Mumbai as Baroda’s calendar fills
BCA president Pranav Amin was in Mumbai on Friday for the 95th BCCI Annual General Meeting at the Board’s Wankhede headquarters. An earlier ruling by electoral officer A.K. Joti had kept his name off the AGM electoral roll after a challenge to the caretaker Apex Council’s power to nominate him. BCA’s position after that order was that the bar was about voting, not presence. Amin attended, met BCCI leadership including president Mithun Manhas and secretary Devajit Saikia, and used the day to talk up Vadodara’s run of fixtures. Other names in the room included Sourav Ganguly, Venkatesh Prasad and Saurabh Tiwary.
The Board’s published decisions were administrative — IPL Governing Council places for Arun Singh Dhumal and M. Khairul Jamal Majumdar, adoption of 2025–26 accounts, the 2026–27 budget, higher pay for umpires and referees, a grand 20th IPL in 2027, and a centenary programme through 2028. They were not a venue-allocation session. The matches now attached to Kotambi were already in the pipeline.
Speaking after the meeting, Amin said:
“It was an honour to represent the Baroda Cricket Association at the 95th BCCI AGM. Such platforms allow state associations to contribute to the future direction of Indian cricket while showcasing their achievements and aspirations.”
“The trust that BCA enjoys today has been built through professional administration, consistent delivery, and the collective efforts of our entire cricketing ecosystem. Every international match awarded to Baroda is a reflection of that commitment.”
“I sincerely thank the BCCI leadership, our colleagues in the cricket fraternity, and every member of the BCA family for their continued support. Together, we will continue raising the standards of cricket administration and hosting while creating a lasting legacy for future generations.”
What the stadium has already hosted — and what comes next
BCA Stadium opened on 22 December 2024. Within months it had staged the India Women–West Indies Women ODIs, then its first men’s ODI on 11 January 2026, India against New Zealand. Capacity is about 35,000–40,000. It has also taken a heavy Women’s Premier League load, including the 2026 WPL final.
Confirmed next: India Women versus Zimbabwe Women in three ODIs at Kotambi on 23, 25 and 28 October 2026. BCA also says the ground will host India Under-19 against England Under-19. That U-19 series has not yet appeared on the public BCCI/ICC fixture lists in the same way the Zimbabwe ODIs have, so the association’s word is ahead of the published calendar.
The global booking is the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, 14–28 February 2027. That is the official name — not a men’s “Champions League.” India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka will play a T20I round-robin at two venues: Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. The final is on 28 February. The ICC has not named which of the two grounds gets the final.
Why Motera is still Motera
Narendra Modi Stadium became a finals factory because of scale, television spectacle, hotels, airport access and a record of opening nights and title games. BCA Stadium cannot match 132,000 seats. Gujarat Titans still play IPL cricket in Ahmedabad. For a men’s World Cup or IPL final, boards still reach first for the giant bowl.
Kotambi’s case is narrower and, in women’s cricket, already real. The ICC has judged it fit for a global event. The surface and outfield have been praised by visiting players and administrators. It is easier to fill than Motera and already used to women’s internationals and a WPL final. BCA CEO Snehal Parikh called the Champions Trophy allocation “well deserved.”
The honest answer
Is BCA Stadium the next Narendra Modi Stadium for men’s World Cup and IPL finals? No — not on capacity, not on current allocation, not on franchise geography.
Is it becoming Gujarat’s second international venue and a live candidate for women’s title games, including possibly the 28 February 2027 Champions Trophy final if the ICC keeps that night in Vadodara rather than Mumbai? Yes. That is a serious rise for a ground that did not host an international match before December 2024.
Two jobs, two stadiums: Ahmedabad for the nights that need 100,000 people in the frame; Vadodara for the internationals, WPL knockouts and ICC women’s cricket that now keep landing on the same strip of the Halol road. The next proof is not another comparison with Motera. It is whether Kotambi is still on the sheet when the final venue for February 28 is named.