The Indian Premier League is set to return with its 19th edition on March 28, 2026, with the tournament schedule expected to be released in two phases. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to announce staggered schedules due to the challenges associated with the upcoming state assembly elections.
According to reports, the first phase of IPL 2026 fixtures are likely to be officially unveiled on March 9 at 6 PM IST. Fans were initially expecting an announcement on March 8, but the release was delayed by 24 hours. When the schedule is revealed, it is expected to include only the first 15 to 20 days of the tournament, from approximately March 28 to mid-April.
The decision to split the schedule into two phases was taken during an online meeting of the IPL Governing Council earlier this week. The first set of fixtures is expected to cover the opening 13 to 14 days of the competition, with the remaining matches to be announced later when logistical clarity improves.
The season opener is expected to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. As per IPL tradition, the defending champion hosts the first match of the season, which means Royal Challengers Bangalore are likely to start the tournament on their home ground. Reports suggest that their opponent for the opening game could be 2025 runners-up Punjab Kings, although official confirmation is still awaited.
RCB will play five matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium
RCB has already confirmed that they will play five home matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Their remaining two home matches are expected to be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary Santosh Menon has also confirmed that the Bengaluru venue will host a playoff match as well as the tournament final.
The IPL 2026 final has already been scheduled for May 31, giving the tournament a window of two months. However, the delay in releasing the complete list is mainly due to the upcoming assembly elections in several states including West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu. Since the voting dates have not been finalized yet by the Election Commission, the BCCI has opted to release the schedule in parts to ensure that the match venues and security arrangements do not clash with election duties.
Cities like Kolkata and Chennai, which are home bases of Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, are among the areas where the election schedule could impact match planning. Meanwhile, Guwahati, which serves as the second home ground for Rajasthan Royals, is also located in the state where elections are due to be held.
Similar tactics had been adopted earlier during election years. In 2024, the BCCI initially released only the first two weeks of the IPL schedule before announcing the remainder after finalizing the election calendar.
Meanwhile, BCCI has started operational preparations for the upcoming season. Acting CEO and IPL COO Hemang Amin recently informed the franchises that practice session guidelines will be shared soon. The teams have also been told that No Objection Certificates (NOC) for foreign players will be issued en masse in the coming days.
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