Top News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially revealed the schedule for the initial phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which is set to take place from March 28 to April 12, 2026, as per a statement from the BCCI.

Due to State Assembly elections occurring in three states during this timeframe, the complete tournament schedule will be disclosed once the election dates are finalized.

The 19th season of the world's premier T20 league will kick off with the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), facing off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. A total of 20 matches will be contested across 10 different venues, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.

This season will feature four double-header days, with afternoon games starting at 03:30 PM IST and evening matches at 07:30 PM IST. Following the inaugural match on Saturday, the Mumbai Indians will take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

The first double-header is scheduled for April 4, 2026, where the Delhi Capitals will compete against the Mumbai Indians in the afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, followed by the Gujarat Titans facing the Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Rajasthan Royals will launch their home season in Guwahati, hosting both the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) will conduct their early home matches at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Here’s a detailed look at the schedule for the opening phase of TATA IPL 2026:

Throughout the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. The Punjab Kings will have four home games in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while the Rajasthan Royals will host three matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur.

It’s important to note that the matches planned in Bengaluru are contingent upon approval from the Expert Committee established by the Government of Karnataka. This committee will convene on March 13, 2026, to inspect the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, conducting a full-scale mock demonstration of match-day operations to evaluate the venue's readiness for IPL matches.