The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially unveiled the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 schedule for the tournament’s opening two weeks on Wednesday, March 11. The 19th edition of the IPL will get underway on March 28, when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
As has become customary, the BCCI has released the fixture list in phases. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had previously confirmed that the full schedule will be made public only after election dates are announced for states including Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala all of which are expected to go to polls during the tournament window. The current schedule covers matches from March 28 through April 12.
Opening Weekend & Key Fixtures
One notable aspect of the schedule is the absence of doubleheaders on the opening weekend. While RCB’s clash against SRH kicks off proceedings on Saturday, March 28, only a single match is scheduled the following day Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium.
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) open their campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The match carries added significance as star players Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja are set to make their debuts for their new franchise against their former team, no less.
IPL 2026 runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) begin their season at home against Gujarat Titans (GT), while Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) host Delhi Capitals (DC) in the final fixture of the opening round.
Among the standout clashes in this initial phase is the Southern Derby between RCB and CSK at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The first leg also concludes with a marquee encounter, as five-time winners MI host defending champions RCB at the Wankhede.
IPL 2026 Schedule: List of matches, dates, venues and timings in IST
| Match No. | Date | Day | Time (IST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28/03/26 | Saturday | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru |
| 2 | 29/03/26 | Sunday | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai |
| 3 | 30/03/26 | Monday | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Guwahati |
| 4 | 31/03/26 | Tuesday | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Mullanpur |
| 5 | 01/04/26 | Wednesday | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Lucknow |
| 6 | 02/04/26 | Thursday | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata |
| 7 | 03/04/26 | Friday | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | Chennai |
| 8 | 04/04/26 | Saturday | 3:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi |
| 9 | 04/04/26 | Saturday | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | 05/04/26 | Sunday | 3:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Hyderabad |
| 11 | 05/04/26 | Sunday | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru |
| 12 | 06/04/26 | Monday | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Kolkata |
| 13 | 07/04/26 | Tuesday | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Guwahati |
| 14 | 08/04/26 | Wednesday | 7:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Delhi |
| 15 | 09/04/26 | Thursday | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Kolkata |
| 16 | 10/04/26 | Friday | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Guwahati |
| 17 | 11/04/26 | Saturday | 3:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mullanpur |
| 18 | 11/04/26 | Saturday | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai |
| 19 | 12/04/26 | Sunday | 3:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Lucknow |
| 20 | 12/04/26 | Sunday | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Mumbai |
IPL 2026 Ticket Booking Details
Last season, most franchises partnered with online ticketing platforms such as District and BookMyShow for home match ticket sales. RCB was an exception, choosing to sell tickets exclusively through their own official website. A portion of tickets is also expected to be available for purchase directly at the venue on match days.
As of now, Mumbai Indians are the only franchise to have opened a pre-sale ticket registration, available via the BookMyShow platform. Details for other franchises are expected to follow as the tournament draws closer.