IPL 2026 at a Glance
- Tournament: TATA IPL 2026 (19th Edition)
- Start Date: March 28, 2026
- Final: May 31, 2026, Bengaluru
- Total Matches: 84 (league stage + playoffs)
- Teams: 10
- Broadcast: Star Sports (TV) | JioHotstar (Digital)
IPL 2026 Opening Match: RCB vs SRH, March 28 — Bengaluru
The curtain-raiser belongs to defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who host Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at 7:30 PM IST. Interestingly, this is the second time in IPL history that these two sides have faced off in the tournament opener — they last did so in 2017, when SRH held the title.The Chinnaswamy occasion carries emotional weight this season. Following the tragic stampede during RCB's victory celebrations last June, in which 11 fans lost their lives, the BCCI has cancelled the traditional opening ceremony as a mark of respect. Eleven seats inside the stadium will be left permanently empty, and RCB players will wear black armbands and the number 11 on their jerseys during warm-ups to honour those who died.
One notable absence from SRH's camp in the early weeks: captain Pat Cummins, who will miss the first phase of the tournament. Ishan Kishan is set to lead the side in his place.
Second Match: MI vs KKR, March 29 — Wankhede
The day after the opener, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It's classic IPL — two of the competition's most storied franchises, squaring off under lights at one of cricket's great venues.IPL 2026 Format: What's Changed?
In previous ten-team editions, sides were split into two virtual groups. Each team played every side in its own group twice and faced teams in the opposite group once each. That structure broadly continues this year.Here's how the groupings shake out in terms of double-encounters:
- RCB face SRH, DC, GT, LSG and MI twice; CSK, RR, KKR and PBKS once
- CSK face MI, DC, SRH, LSG and GT twice; RCB, RR, KKR and PBKS once
- MI face CSK, RCB, PBKS, GT and KKR twice; SRH, DC, RR and LSG once
- KKR face MI, SRH, LSG, GT and DC twice; CSK, RR, RCB and PBKS once
- DC face RCB, CSK, SRH, KKR and PBKS twice; MI, RR, GT and LSG once
- RR face SRH, DC, LSG, GT and MI twice; CSK, RCB, KKR and PBKS once
- GT face RCB, MI, KKR, CSK and RR twice; SRH, DC, LSG and PBKS once
- LSG face RCB, KKR, CSK, RR and PBKS twice; SRH, MI, DC and GT once
First Phase IPL 2026 Schedule (March 28 – April 12)
The BCCI released the opening 20 matches first, citing assembly elections in several states including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry — all of which host IPL franchises or venues. This approach has been used before during general elections in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024, and during state election cycles.These 20 fixtures span 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
The first phase includes four double-headers on weekends, with afternoon games kicking off at 3:30 PM IST and evening contests at 7:30 PM IST.
Key early fixtures include:
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28 | RCB vs SRH | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Mar 29 | MI vs KKR | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Mar 30 | RR vs CSK | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Mar 31 | PBKS vs GT | New Chandigarh | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 1 | LSG vs DC | Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 2 | KKR vs SRH | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 3 | CSK vs PBKS | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 4 | DC vs MI (DH) | Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| Apr 4 | GT vs RR (DH) | Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 5 | SRH vs LSG (DH) | Hyderabad | 3:30 PM |
| Apr 5 | RCB vs CSK (DH) | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 8 | DC vs GT | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 9 | KKR vs LSG | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 10 | RR vs RCB | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 11 | PBKS vs SRH (DH) | New Chandigarh | 3:30 PM |
| Apr 11 | CSK vs DC (DH) | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 12 | MI vs RCB | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
CSK IPL 2026 Full Schedule
The Yellow Army begin their campaign on March 30 away at Guwahati against Rajasthan Royals and return home to Chennai on April 3 for a blockbuster against Punjab Kings. Their full fixture list:| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30 | vs RR | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 3 | vs PBKS | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 5 | vs RCB | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 11 | vs DC | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 14 | vs KKR | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 18 | vs SRH | Hyderabad | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 23 | vs MI | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 26 | vs GT | Ahmedabad | 3:30 PM |
| May 2 | vs MI | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| May 5 | vs DC | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| May 10 | vs LSG | Chennai | 3:30 PM |
| May 15 | vs LSG | Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
RCB IPL 2026 Full Schedule
The defending champions have five home games at Chinnaswamy and two additional fixtures in Raipur. Three of their first five matches are at home, giving them an early-season advantage. Their notable clash against CSK on April 5 is one of the most anticipated games of the league stage.| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28 | vs SRH | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 5 | vs CSK | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 10 | vs RR | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 12 | vs MI | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 15 | vs LSG | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 18 | vs DC | Bengaluru | 3:30 PM |
| Apr 24 | vs GT | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 27 | vs DC | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| Apr 30 | vs GT | Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
MI vs CSK: The Fixture Everyone's Watching
The most iconic rivalry in IPL history gets two outings this season. The El Clásico of Indian cricket is scheduled for April 23 at the Wankhede Stadium and again on May 2 in Chennai. These matches consistently draw the largest audiences of the season — and with both sides looking to bounce back from disappointing 2025 campaigns, expect them to be fiercely contested.Rajasthan Royals: Playing Out of Guwahati and Jaipur
RR will use Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium as a secondary home ground for the first three matches of their campaign — the first of which is the opening home tie against CSK on March 30. Their remaining four home games will be held at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.This split-venue arrangement reflects a broader pattern this season: Punjab Kings will also host three matches in Dharamsala in addition to their primary base at the Mullanpur ground in New Chandigarh.
Captains and Coaches OF IPL 2026: All 10 Teams
| Team | Captain | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rajat Patidar | Andy Flower |
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Stephen Fleming |
| Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya | Mahela Jayawardene |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Ajinkya Rahane | Abhishek Nayar |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pat Cummins | Daniel Vettori |
| Delhi Capitals | Axar Patel | Hemang Badani |
| Rajasthan Royals | Riyan Parag | Kumar Sangakkara |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill | Ashish Nehra |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Rishabh Pant | Justin Langer |
| Punjab Kings | Shreyas Iyer | Ricky Ponting |
The Big Auction Talking Points
The player auction was held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025, with each franchise given a purse of ₹125 crore. A total of 1,355 players registered; 369 were shortlisted and 77 ultimately sold.The biggest headline: Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player and the third-priciest player in IPL auction history. Meanwhile, CSK made a bold double move, acquiring uncapped players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for ₹14.20 crore each — a joint record for uncapped talent.
Notable names who went unsold include Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jonny Bairstow, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway, Alzarri Joseph, and Gus Atkinson.
