Shortly Decoded
IPL 2026 starts from March 28 to May 31 2026 : 84 matches across 10 teams over 65 days. At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru RCB vs SRH opens the tournament on March 28 at 7:30 PM IST. The Final returns to Chinnaswamy on May 31. The BCCI has released the first 20 matches :Phase 1. Phase 2 will be announced once State Assembly election dates are confirmed.
Indian Premiere League : IPL 2026 schedule is out and the 19th edition of the world’s biggest T20 league starts with a blockbuster. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru open at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 – the same ground where they won their maiden title in 2025.
This year is bigger than ever. 84 matches, up from 74 last season, with every team playing each other twice in a full double round-robin. Ten teams, two months, one trophy. Here is everything you need to know – dates, venues, timings, teams, and how to watch.
IPL 2026 – Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | TATA IPL 2026 (19th edition) |
| Start Date | March 28, 2026 |
| End Date / Final | May 31, 2026 |
| Opening Match | RCB vs SRH – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Final Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Total Teams | 10 |
| Total Matches | 84 (10 more than last season) |
| Defending Champions | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Evening Match Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Afternoon Match Time | 3:30 PM IST (double headers) |
| Broadcaster | Star Sports (TV) / JioHotstar (OTT) |
Why Phase 2 Is Not Out YetThree states are scheduled for State Assembly elections during the IPL window. The BCCI is waiting for the Election Commission of India to announce polling dates before releasing the remaining fixtures, to ensure matches do not clash with election schedules in host cities.
Phase 2 will be released as soon as poll dates are confirmed.
10 Teams and Their Captains
| Team | Short Name | Captain | Home Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | RCB | Rajat Patidar | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Mumbai Indians | MI | Hardik Pandya | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Chennai Super Kings | CSK | Ruturaj Gaikwad | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | KKR | Ajinkya Rahane | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Delhi Capitals | DC | Axar Patel | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Punjab Kings | PBKS | Shreyas Iyer | PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| Rajasthan Royals | RR | Riyan Parag | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati / Jaipur |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | SRH | Pat Cummins | Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Stadium, Hyderabad |
| Gujarat Titans | GT | Shubman Gill | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Lucknow Super Giants | LSG | Rishabh Pant | BRSABV Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
This season’s three big captaincy stories –
- Riyan Parag leads Rajasthan Royals despite Ravindra Jadeja joining through a high-profile trade.
- Rishabh Pant captains Lucknow Super Giants in what is one of the most high-profile leadership assignments in IPL 2026.
- And Rajat Patidar defends the title with RCB after leading them to their maiden championship in 2025.
Phase 1 Schedule – March 28 to April 12
The first 20 matches of IPL 2026 have been officially confirmed the BCCI. All evening matches start at 7:30 PM IST and double header afternoon matches start at 3:30 PM IST.
| Match | Date | Teams | Venue | Time IST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | Sat, Mar 28 | RCB vs SRH | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Match 2 | Sun, Mar 29 | MI vs KKR | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Match 3 | Mon, Mar 30 | RR vs CSK | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Match 4 | Tue, Mar 31 | LSG vs GT | BRSABV Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| Match 5 | Wed, Apr 1 | PBKS vs DC | PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh | 7:30 PM |
| Match 6 | Thu, Apr 2 | CSK vs PBKS | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Match 7 | Fri, Apr 3 | KKR vs RCB | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| Match 8 | Sat, Apr 4 | DC vs MI | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| Match 9 | Sat, Apr 4 | GT vs RR | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
| Match 10 | Sun, Apr 5 | SRH vs LSG | Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Stadium, Hyderabad | 3:30 PM |
| Match 11 | Sun, Apr 5 | RCB vs PBKS | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Match 12 | Mon, Apr 6 | MI vs RR | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Match 13 | Tue, Apr 7 | KKR vs GT | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| Match 14 | Wed, Apr 8 | RCB vs CSK | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Match 15 | Thu, Apr 9 | DC vs SRH | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| Match 16 | Fri, Apr 10 | LSG vs MI | BRSABV Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| Match 17 | Sat, Apr 11 | GT vs CSK | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 3:30 PM |
| Match 18 | Sat, Apr 11 | RR vs KKR | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | 7:30 PM |
| Match 19 | Sun, Apr 12 | PBKS vs SRH | PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh | 3:30 PM |
| Match 20 | Sun, Apr 12 | DC vs LSG | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 7:30 PM |
IPL 2026 Venues
| City | Stadium | Home Team |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | RCB (5 home games + Final) |
| Raipur | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Intl. Stadium | RCB (2 games) |
| Mumbai | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai Indians |
| Chennai | MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai Super Kings |
| Kolkata | Eden Gardens | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Delhi | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi Capitals |
| New Chandigarh | PCA Stadium | Punjab Kings (4 home games) |
| Dharamshala | HPCA Stadium | Punjab Kings (3 home games) |
| Guwahati | Barsapara Cricket Stadium | Rajasthan Royals (3 home games) |
| Jaipur | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Rajasthan Royals (4 home games) |
| Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Stadium | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium | Gujarat Titans |
| Lucknow | BRSABV Ekana Stadium | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Visakhapatnam | ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium | Additional venue |
How IPL 2026 Works – The Format Explained
For the first time since 2021,IPL uses a full double round-robin format. Every team get chance to play every other team twice, once at home and once away.
League Stage
- Each team plays 14 matches in the group stage
- A win earns 2 points, a loss earns 0
- Tied matches and no-result games earn 1 point each
- The top 4 teams on the points table qualify for the playoffs
Playoffs
- Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2nd – winner goes directly to the Final
- Eliminator: 3rd vs 4th – loser is eliminated
- Qualifier 2: Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator – winner goes to Final
- Final: Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2 – at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, May 31
Key Rule to KnowThe top two teams get two chances to reach the Final. The third and fourth placed teams get only one shot. Finishing in the top two on the points table is significantly more valuable than finishing third or fourth.
How to Watch IPL 2026 in India
| Platform | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Star Sports | TV broadcast | Live on Star Sports 1, 2, and regional language channels |
| JioHotstar | Digital streaming | Live streaming in 4K. Free tier available for some matches |
Frequently Asked Questions
IPL 2026 starts on March 28, 2026 with RCB vs SRH at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and ends on May 31, 2026 with the Final at the same venue. The tournament runs for 65 days with 84 total matches – 10 more than the previous season.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending IPL champions, having won their maiden IPL title in the 2025 season under captain Rajat Patidar. They defeated Punjab Kings in the 2025 Final. RCB open IPL 2026 at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 and will also host the Final on May 31 as the defending champions.
Three states scheduled for State Assembly elections during the IPL window. The BCCI is waiting for the Election Commission of India to announce polling dates before finalising venues and fixtures for Phase 2. This is standard procedure in India – the IPL schedule is adjusted to avoid matches in cities on election day. Phase 2 will be announced as soon as poll dates are confirmed.
IPL 2026 features 84 matches in total – 10 more than the 74 matches played in IPL 2025. The increase is because IPL 2026 returns to the full double round-robin format where every team plays every other team twice. Each team plays 14 league stage matches before the top four teams compete in four playoff matches including the Final.
The IPL 2026 Final will be held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 31, 2026. This is the same ground that hosted the IPL 2025 Final, where RCB won their first ever title. Bengaluru hosting both the opening match and the Final makes IPL 2026 a full-circle tournament for the defending champions.
The Bottom Line
- IPL 2026 runs March 28 to May 31 – 84 matches, 10 teams, 14 venues. RCB open and potentially close the tournament at Chinnaswamy as defending champions.
- The first 20 matches are confirmed. Phase 2 fixtures follow once State Assembly election dates are announced by the Election Commission of India.
- Watch on Star Sports on TV or JioHotstar on mobile and digital. Evening matches start at 7:30 PM IST and double header afternoon matches at 3:30 PM IST.
Bookmark this page – we will update it with the full Phase 2 schedule, points table, and match results throughout the season. For IPL team previews and player profiles, stay tuned to UpdateDecoded Cricket.
