The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is set to get underway on March 28, with the final scheduled on May 31. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the tournament on March 11.
The announcement was delayed owing to the tournament’s clash with assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. While Kolkata (in West Bengal) and Chennai (in Tamil Nadu) are the bases for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), respectively, Guwahati (in Assam) is the second venue for Rajasthan Royals (RR).
One of the other reasons behind the delay was the uncertainty over the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The venue has not hosted any top-flight cricket ever since the tragic stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2025 victory parade, which claimed 11 lives and left several injured. However, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) received clearance after extensive discussions with RCB and government officials.
The tournament opener will be played between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and two-time winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Chinnaswamy on March 28. RCB were emphatic throughout the 2025 season, whereas the Pat Cummins-led side was thrown out of the competition after the group stages.Â
| Match No. | Date | Home Team | Away Team | Venue |
| 1 | March 28 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | March 29 | Mumbai Indians | Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | March 30 | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 4 | March 31 | Punjab Kings | Gujarat Titans | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| 5 | April 01 | Lucknow Super Giants | Delhi Capitals | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| 6 | April 02 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 7 | April 03 | Chennai Super Kings | Punjab Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 8 | April 04 | Delhi Capitals | Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 9 | April 04 | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | April 05 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 11 | April 05 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 12 | April 06 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | April 07 | Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai Indians | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 14 | April 08 | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 15 | April 09 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 | April 10 | Rajasthan Royals | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 17 | April 10 | Punjab Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| 18 | April 11 | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi Capitals | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 19 | April 11 | Lucknow Super Giants | Gujarat Titans | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| 20 | April 12 | Mumbai Indians | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
