The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Playoffs, setting the stage for the final of the tournament.
With almost 50 matches completed, the playoffs will begin with Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium. The match will feature the top two teams in the standings, with the winner getting a direct berth in the final. The action will then shift to the New International Cricket Stadium, which will host the eliminator between the third and fourth placed teams on May 27.
Qualifier 2 will also be held on May 29 at the same venue in New Chandigarh, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will take on the winner of the Eliminator to decide the second finalist. This format ensures that teams finishing higher in the table get additional advantages while also keeping the competition intense for others.
The grand finale of IPL 2026 will take place on May 31 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, which is considered to be the largest cricket stadium in the world. The venue is expected to host a high-voltage clash to crown a new champion.
Interestingly, this season the playoffs will be held across three venues as a special arrangement due to operational and logistical considerations. Bengaluru was initially scheduled to host the final. However, due to certain requirements of the local authorities which were outside the established guidelines and protocols of BCCI, it was decided to shift the summit to Ahmedabad.
Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended their 18-year wait for the title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final. It is noteworthy that the final of the previous edition was also held at Narendra Modi Stadium. This is the fourth time in the last five years that the venue has hosted the IPL final.
Playoff schedule:
| match | date | venue |
| qualifier 1 | 26 may | HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala |
| eliminator | 27th May | New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| qualifier 2 | 29 may | New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| Last | 31 may | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
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