You’ve already blocked March 28 on your calendar. You just don’t know it yet.
IPL 2026 is 19 days away, and your boss, your partner, and your sleep schedule are about to compete with 74 matches across 65 days. RCB walk in as defending champions — their first title in 18 years — Bengaluru gets the opener AND the final, and somehow, the BCCI still hasn’t dropped the full fixture list.
Here’s everything that’s confirmed, everything that’s expected, and the one bizarre reason you’re still refreshing Cricbuzz.
March 28 to May 31 — Mark These or Regret It
The bookends are locked. IPL 2026 kicks off March 28 in Bengaluru with RCB likely hosting the first match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The final is May 31 — also Bengaluru. That’s the defending champions opening at home and potentially lifting the trophy at home. Bollywood scriptwriters are taking notes.
Between those dates: 74 matches, 10 teams, single headers at 7:30 PM IST, double headers at 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Your weeknight plans? Gone. Your weekend plans? Also gone.
But here’s the thing — the full schedule isn’t out yet. And the reason is peak India.
Why BCCI Is Dropping the Schedule in Two Phases
State elections. That’s it. That’s the reason.
Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu mean venues in Kolkata, Guwahati, and Chennai can’t be confirmed until election dates are finalised. So BCCI is releasing the IPL 2026 schedule in two phases — the first covering roughly 13-14 days of matches, with the rest following once polling dates are clear.
It’s annoying? Yes. Does it make sense? Also yes. You can’t exactly host 40,000 screaming fans at Eden Gardens when it’s doubling as a counting centre.
The first phase was expected around March 6-7 after the BCCI Governing Council meeting. Once we have it, this page gets updated. Bookmark it now, come back later. Or don’t — we both know you’ll be back anyway.
Every Venue — Who’s Playing Where
Here’s where all 10 teams are setting up camp. If you’re planning to catch a match live, this is what you need.
| Team | Home Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RCB | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 5 home games here, 2 in Raipur |
| CSK | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Dhoni’s already vibing at nets |
| MI | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | — |
| KKR | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Subject to election schedule |
| DC | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | — |
| SRH | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | — |
| GT | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | — |
| LSG | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | — |
| RR | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | Likely splitting with Guwahati |
| PBKS | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur | Likely splitting with Dharamsala |
RCB playing two home games in Raipur is the big venue story. Chinnaswamy returns to IPL after the June 2025 stampede incident — KSCA secretary Santosh Menon has confirmed the stadium is hosting playoff fixtures too.
Already sized up every squad? Check our IPL 2026 team previews and rankings before the first ball.
Five Matchups Worth Planning Your Life Around
The full fixture list will tell us dates. But these are the games you clear your calendar for:
- CSK vs MI — The El Clasico. Wankhede under lights. Nothing else needs to be said.
- RCB vs PBKS — IPL 2025 final rematch. Bengaluru will be unhinged.
- RCB vs CSK — Southern Derby, now with a trophy in the cabinet. The sledging will be elite.
- MI vs KKR — Mumbai vs Kolkata. Two of the most successful franchises. Always delivers.
- GT vs RR — The emerging rivalry that quietly produced bangers last season.
74 matches. 65 days. And this schedule page is getting updated the second BCCI releases each phase.
What Happens Next
The first phase of fixtures drops any day now. Once it does, we’ll have the exact dates for those opening 13-14 days — including which marquee matchup gets the prime Saturday night slot.
Until then, here’s what you do: block March 28 to May 31 on your calendar, tell people you’re “unavailable in the evenings,” and start figuring out which budget travel destination doubles as an IPL venue city.
Your schedule is about to become the IPL’s schedule. You just needed someone to confirm it.