The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule for the first phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Owing to the upcoming state assembly elections, the tournament will be conducted in two phases, with the initial leg featuring 20 matches scheduled between March 28 and April 12, 2026.
The season will kick off on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The final of IPL 2026 is currently scheduled for May 31, while the full schedule for the second phase will be announced once the Election Commission confirms polling dates in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
The first phase will feature 20 matches played across 16 days at 10 venues including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh (Mullanpur), Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. The league has also planned four double-header days during this period, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening games beginning at 7:30 PM IST.
Some of the notable fixtures include Mumbai Indians facing Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29, Rajasthan Royals taking on Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in Guwahati, and a high-profile clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings on April 5 in Bengaluru.
RCB are expected to play five home matches in Bengaluru during the season, subject to safety clearances, while two of their games are planned for Raipur.
The remaining matches of IPL 2026 will be scheduled after the election calendar is finalised, with the tournament expected to conclude by May 31, 2026.
