The schedule for the 2026 Indian Premier League has been announced, with the first game to be played on March 28.
The first match will be between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Bengaluru. It marks the return of the venue to hosting high-profile matches following the stampede during their victory celebrations last year, which saw 11 fans lose their lives.
The Karnataka government banned the Chinnaswamy Stadium from hosting games, which subsequently meant that the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup final was moved out of the city, to Navi Mumbai. Bengaluru did not host any matches in the recent Men’s T20 World Cup, either.
The IPL committee is yet to announce the full schedule of the tournament, with the delay linked to state elections scheduled during April and May. Polls will take place in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam. These states are home to key IPL venues: Kolkata Knight Riders play their home games in Kolkata, Chennai Super Kings are based in Chennai, while Rajasthan Royals stage a few of their home matches in Guwahati.
There will be double-headers on the weekends, with the afternoon game beginning at 3.30 pm local time, with all evening matches scheduled for 7.30 pm Indian time.
IPL 2026: Full schedule and list of fixtures
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 28 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| March 29 | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| March 30 | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| March 31 | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Mullanpur | 7:30 PM |
| April 1 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| April 2 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| April 3 | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| April 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| April 4 | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
| April 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Hyderabad | 3:30 PM |
| April 5 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| April 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| April 7 | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| April 8 | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| April 9 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| April 10 | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| April 11 | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mullanpur | 3:30 PM |
| April 11 | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| April 12 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Lucknow | 3:30 PM |
| April 12 | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
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