The IPL Governing Council has formally approved the first part of the 2026 IPL schedule. In an online meeting held on Monday, the GC has decided to release the fixtures for the 19th edition in two phases, with the first phase expected to be announced on March 6-7.
According to Cricbuzz, due to the uncertainty over the dates of the state assembly elections and the limited time for the start of the competition, the BCCI has decided to release the schedule in two phases. This is a practice that has been done in previous election years, with the first phase covering the first two weeks of the tournament.
In a recent message sent to the franchises, BCCI CEO and acting IPL COO Hemang Amin informed that the schedule of the practice sessions has not been finalized yet and will be shared next week. The communication also said that No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for foreign players will be shared simultaneously in the coming days. BCCI still awaits business standard classification for Australia [OSCA] Individual player NOC from CA (Cricket Australia) and from CSA (Cricket South Africa). Once received these documents will be sent to BCCI in a single email.
The franchises were also informed that the delay in announcing the schedule of the 2026 season of IPL was due to the pending announcement of election dates in West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu by the Election Commission. Details regarding the captains' meeting before the tournament were also suggested to be shared next week.
Bengaluru will host the IPL final
Following Royal Challengers Bangalore's announcement regarding hosting five matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, being the home of the defending champions, the opening match of the season is expected to be held there. Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary Santosh Menon later announced in a press conference that Bengaluru would host a playoff game and the final of the tournament.
Although the fixtures have not been finalized yet, the start of the IPL may be delayed by two days. The tournament is now likely to start on March 28-29, while the final is still expected to take place on May 31.
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