The wait is almost over. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will get underway on March 28, with the final scheduled for May 31.
Star Sports broke the news on Sunday, March 8, ahead of the T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The complete schedule, however, is yet to be released. According to reports, the IPL will drop the fixtures in two phases, a direct consequence of upcoming state assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which will inevitably affect venue availability and logistics across those regions.
RCB back at Chinnaswamy, with conditions
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play five of their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the remaining two fixtures shifted to Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. The franchise made the announcement on March 3 after weeks of uncertainty surrounding their home ground situation.
The backstory here is why this is important. Following RCB’s maiden IPL title win last season, a stampede outside Chinnaswamy claimed 11 lives, which was one of the darkest days in Indian cricket’s recent memory. Since then, the stadium has been conspicuously absent from the domestic calendar, with the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and even the Maharaja Trophy Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) T20 all bypassing the venue.
The confirmation that RCB will return, even if in limited capacity, will be a relief to fans, though the shadow of what happened last year will inevitably linger.
Tradition suggests the tournament opener will be played between defending champions RCB and runners-up Punjab Kings at Chinnaswamy, though the IPL is yet to officially confirm the fixture.
A bigger tournament this time
One of the more significant changes heading into IPL 2026 is the expanded match count. Previous seasons featured 74 games. This edition is expected to run to 84, with all 10 teams competing in a double round-robin format before the playoffs. More cricket, more chances for teams to find their rhythm.
| Posted by News Desk | 
