IPL 2026 Schedule: Full match list, dates, venues, timings and other details

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is set to bring another exciting chapter to the world’s most popular T20 franchise league. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for the initial phase of the tournament, with the competition starting on March 28, 2026 and expected to run until May 31, 2026. 

The 19th edition of the IPL will feature 10 teams competing, continuing the league’s popular double round-robin format followed by playoffs. The season will kick off with a high-profile clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

The defending champions, RCB, will begin their title defense in front of their home crowd, making the opening game one of the most anticipated matches of the season. The IPL commitee have announced the schedule for the first 20 matches due to elections. 

MI will meet KKR on March 29

Following the opening match, fans will witness several blockbuster matches in the first few days of the tournament. On March 29, Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, while Rajasthan Royals (RR) face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati the next day. 

The early schedule also features key clashes such as Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) in Mullanpur and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) in Lucknow, ensuring an action-packed start to the season. Overall, the tournament is all set to have some wonderful matches for over two weeks. 

BCCI will announce the next phase of tickets later. They will have to decide on the logistics, venue, and other details before scheduling the matches since the elections are going to happen.