The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin on March 28 when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face Sunrisers Hyderabad at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. IPL 2026 features a total of 74 matches, including 70 league stage games and 4 knockout matches, with each team playing 14 matches.
The schedule was recently finalized by the BCCI after initial uncertainty due to election dates. The league stage concludes on May 24 with a match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals in KKR’s home ground.
Matches will be held across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. The first phase includes 20 matches, with four double headers, ending on April 12. Phase two starts on April 13 in Hyderabad.
Evening matches begin at 7:30 PM IST, while day games start at 3:30 PM IST. Twelve double headers are scheduled during the league stage, beginning with Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians on April 4.
RCB will host five matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. New Chandigarh will host four Punjab Kings’ games, while Shreyas Iyer’s team plays three in Dharamshala. Rajasthan Royals have home matches in Guwahati and Jaipur.
Notable changes include Mustafizur Rahman’s absence from IPL 2026 due to injury replacements. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are among those replaced, with both originally set to play for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Star Sports remains the official broadcaster in India, offering live coverage in regional languages and English. JioStar app and website provide live streaming of all matches.