IPL 2026 Schedule Announced; RCB to Face SRH in Tournament Opener at Bengaluru
The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing Sunrisers Hyderabad at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as BCCI unveils the first phase schedule.
March 12, 2026 | New Delhi The schedule for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has been officially announced, setting the stage for another exciting season of franchise cricket across India. The tournament will begin on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has initially released the fixtures for the first phase of the tournament, which will run from March 28 to April 12. During this period, 20 matches will be played across several venues, including Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The opening weekend promises high-voltage action, with Mumbai Indians set to face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 in Mumbai, while Rajasthan Royals will take on Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30.
Here’s the fixtures of the matches……
| Match No. | Date | Match | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 March | Bangalore vs Hyderabad | 7:30 PM | Bangalore |
| 2 | 29 March | Mumbai vs Kolkata | 7:30 PM | Mumbai |
| 3 | 30 March | Rajasthan vs Chennai | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| 4 | 31 March | Punjab vs Gujarat | 7:30 PM | Chandigarh |
| 5 | 1 April | Lucknow vs Delhi | 7:30 PM | Lucknow |
| 6 | 2 April | Kolkata vs Hyderabad | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| 7 | 3 April | Chennai vs Punjab | 7:30 PM | Chennai |
| 8 | 4 April | Delhi vs Mumbai | 3:30 PM | Delhi |
| 9 | 4 April | Gujarat vs Rajasthan | 7:30 PM | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | 5 April | Hyderabad vs Lucknow | 3:30 PM | Hyderabad |
| 11 | 5 April | Bangalore vs Chennai | 7:30 PM | Bangalore |
| 12 | 6 April | Kolkata vs Punjab | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| 13 | 7 April | Rajasthan vs Mumbai | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| 14 | 8 April | Delhi vs Gujarat | 7:30 PM | Delhi |
| 15 | 9 April | Kolkata vs Lucknow | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| 16 | 10 April | Rajasthan vs Bangalore | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| 17 | 11 April | Punjab vs Hyderabad | 3:30 PM | Chandigarh |
| 18 | 11 April | Chennai vs Delhi | 7:30 PM | Chennai |
| 19 | 12 April | Lucknow vs Gujarat | 3:30 PM | Lucknow |
| 20 | 12 April | Mumbai vs Bangalore | 7:30 PM | Mumbai |
According to tournament organisers, the schedule for the remaining matches will be released later due to the upcoming assembly elections in several states. The IPL governing council has decided to divide the season into phases to ensure smooth logistics and security arrangements during the election period. The 19th edition of the league is expected to run until May 31 and will feature ten teams competing in the popular T20 format across multiple venues in India. With defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru beginning their title defence at home, cricket fans are already looking forward to packed stadiums, intense rivalries and another thrilling season of IPL action
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