IPL 2026 Schedule: Full Fixture List, Match Dates, Venues & PDF Download
India just won the T20 World Cup 2026. The champagne hasn’t even dried yet and the BCCI has already confirmed the next big thing: TATA IPL 2026 kicks off on March 28, 2026. No more waiting, no more rumours. The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is happening, it’s bigger than ever before with 84 matches, and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host the very first game at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The full fixture list is being released in two phases on March 9. This page will carry every confirmed match the moment it drops. Scroll down for everything you need: match schedule, timings, venues, team-wise fixtures, and the downloadable PDF.
IPL 2026 Quick Stats at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Tournament Name | TATA Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Edition | 19th Season (IPL 19) |
| Start Date | 28 March 2026 (Saturday) |
| End Date | 31 May 2026 (Sunday) |
| Total Matches | 84 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Format | Double Round-Robin + Playoffs |
| Opening Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Final Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Defending Champions | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) |
| Title Sponsor | Tata Group |
Download IPL 2026 Schedule PDF
The official IPL 2026 Schedule PDF will be available for download the moment BCCI releases the full fixture list. The PDF will include:
- Complete match list with dates, times, and venues
- Team-wise and stadium-wise fixture breakdown
- Playoff match details
- A clean, printable format for offline use
IPL 2026 Schedule & Fixtures Phase 1
The official fixtures dropped on March 11, 2026. The table below shows the confirmed first phase schedule with all 20 matches, opponents, and venues officially announced by the BCCI.
| Match | Date | Day | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Mar | Sat | RCB vs SRH | Bengaluru |
| 2 | 29 Mar | Sun | MI vs KKR | Mumbai |
| 3 | 30 Mar | Mon | RR vs CSK | Guwahati |
| 4 | 31 Mar | Tue | PBKS vs GT | Mullanpur |
| 5 | 01 Apr | Wed | LSG vs DC | Lucknow |
| 6 | 02 Apr | Thu | KKR vs SRH | Kolkata |
| 7 | 03 Apr | Fri | CSK vs PBKS | Chennai |
| 8 | 04 Apr | Sat | DC vs MI | Delhi |
| 9 | 04 Apr | Sat | GT vs RR | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | 05 Apr | Sun | SRH vs LSG | Hyderabad |
| 11 | 05 Apr | Sun | RCB vs CSK | Bengaluru |
| 12 | 06 Apr | Mon | KKR vs PBKS | Kolkata |
| 13 | 07 Apr | Tue | RR vs MI | Guwahati |
| 14 | 08 Apr | Wed | DC vs GT | Delhi |
| 15 | 09 Apr | Thu | KKR vs LSG | Kolkata |
| 16 | 10 Apr | Fri | RR vs RCB | Guwahati |
| 17 | 11 Apr | Sat | PBKS vs SRH | Mullanpur |
| 18 | 11 Apr | Sat | CSK vs DC | Chennai |
| 19 | 12 Apr | Sun | LSG vs GT | Lucknow |
| 20 | 12 Apr | Sun | MI vs RCB | Mumbai |
Why the IPL 2026 Schedule Is Being Released in Two Phases
Here’s something worth knowing before you set your calendar. The BCCI confirmed on March 9 that the schedule will come out in two parts, not all at once.
The reason is straightforward. Assembly elections are scheduled in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam during April and May 2026. These three states host some of IPL’s biggest venues: Eden Gardens in Kolkata, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. During election periods, police and security forces are redirected for polling duties, which creates real logistical challenges for large-scale sporting events. The BCCI is waiting for the Election Commission of India to release official polling dates before locking in fixtures for those venues.
Phase 1 covers the first two to three weeks of the tournament. Phase 2, covering the remaining league matches and playoffs, follows once election dates are confirmed.
IPL 2026 Match Timings
- Day matches (Weekend double-headers): 3:30 PM IST
- Evening matches (All weekdays + second weekend game): 7:30 PM IST
All 84 matches will be played across these two slots. Weekend double-headers are confirmed, meaning fans get back-to-back action every Saturday and Sunday throughout the league stage.
IPL 2026 Playoff Structure
Once the 80-match league stage wraps up, the top four teams on the points table head into the playoffs. Here’s how it works:
| Stage | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifier 1 | 26 May 2026 | 1st vs 2nd (winner goes straight to final) |
| Eliminator | 27 May 2026 | 3rd vs 4th (loser eliminated) |
| Qualifier 2 | 29 May 2026 | Q1 loser vs Eliminator winner |
| Final | 31 May 2026 | Top 2 remaining teams |
Qualifier 1 and the Final are both confirmed for M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Venues for the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 are still to be announced, with Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium and Raipur among the leading options being considered.
The top two teams get two bites at the cherry. The team finishing third or fourth must win the Eliminator first, then Qualifier 2 to reach the final. It’s a format that rewards consistency across the full league stage.
IPL 2026 Venues: All Confirmed Stadiums
The 2026 season spans 11 venues, with Bengaluru serving as the tournament’s primary hub for both the opener and the final.
| City | Stadium | Home Team |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Raipur | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium | RCB (secondary venue) |
| Mumbai | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai Indians |
| Chennai | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai Super Kings |
| Kolkata | Eden Gardens | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Delhi | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi Capitals |
| Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium | Gujarat Titans |
| Jaipur | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Rajasthan Royals |
| Lucknow | Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Mullanpur | New PCA Stadium (New Chandigarh) | Punjab Kings |
A notable change this season: RCB will play five home games in Bengaluru and their remaining two home fixtures in Raipur. Chinnaswamy had a temporary suspension on major events following a stampede incident last year, but local authorities have since cleared the venue. Raipur gets two prime home games as a result.
What’s New in IPL 2026 Schedule Format
The biggest scheduling change in recent IPL history happens this season. Here’s what’s different:
84 matches instead of 74. The IPL Governing Council officially expanded the tournament. All 10 teams now play more matches in the league stage, creating a fuller double round-robin format. More cricket means more momentum shifts, more comeback stories, and more chances for teams to turn around a slow start.
Bengaluru hosts opener AND final. This is only the second time in IPL history that a single venue hosts both the first match and the grand finale of the same season. Chinnaswamy Stadium gets two of the biggest nights in the entire tournament.
Two-phase schedule release. Never done before in IPL history. The election-driven scheduling forces the BCCI to release fixtures in two batches, which means some teams won’t know their full home schedule until Phase 2 drops.
Impact Player rule continues. Teams can still substitute one specialist player mid-game. This rule, which was introduced in 2023, has consistently led to higher match totals and more aggressive team selection. It stays for 2026.
IPL 2026 Team-Wise Schedule Overview
While full fixtures are pending, here’s a breakdown of confirmed home venues for each franchise this season.
| Team | Primary Home Venue | Secondary Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru (5 games) | Raipur (2 games) |
| Chennai Super Kings | Chepauk, Chennai | TBC |
| Mumbai Indians | Wankhede, Mumbai | TBC |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | TBC |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | TBC |
| Delhi Capitals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | TBC |
| Punjab Kings | New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur | Dharamsala (select games) |
| Rajasthan Royals | Sawai Mansingh, Jaipur | Guwahati (select games) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | TBC |
| Gujarat Titans | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | TBC |
Punjab Kings will continue using their relatively new home ground in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) as the primary venue, with some matches at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Rajasthan Royals traditionally rotate home games with Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, though this depends on election-linked clearances in Assam.