The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that IPL 2026 will start on March 28 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with the final scheduled for May 31.
As per IPL tradition, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will feature in the opening match. Their opponents will be announced soon.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the schedule for the first 20 days will be released shortly, while the remaining fixtures will be announced after the Election Commission declares poll dates. In previous election years, the IPL schedule was also released in two phases.
Initially, the IPL Governing Council had informed franchises that the tournament would begin on March 26. However, the start date was shifted to March 28, with the final set for May 31.
