Indian cricket's grandest annual spectacle is back this season, and the build-up has been noisier than usual. The TATA IPL 2026 arrives as the 19th edition of the competition, bigger in scope and more stretched across the calendar than any previous year. The tournament runs across 84 matches, ten more than the previous season, as the IPL Governing Council confirmed the expansion for both the 2026 and 2027 editions.
Fans had been waiting a good while for the official fixture list to drop. The BCCI announced the schedule on 11th March, with the delay attributed to the tournament's overlap with assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. That political context shaped the phased release of fixtures considerably.
The BCCI confirmed the opening phase covers 20 matches played between 28th March and 12th April 2026, spread across ten venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru get the nod to host the first match of the season. RCB face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on 28th March, with SRH having been eliminated in the group stages last season.
The action then builds quickly through the first week. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians host three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders on 29th March, before Chennai Super Kings travel to face Rajasthan Royals the following day; a fixture carrying extra intrigue after Ravindra Jadeja's pre-season trade from CSK to RR.
Four double-headers feature during this phase, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening fixtures beginning at 7:30 PM IST. The first double-header of the season arrives on 4th April. Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the afternoon, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Beyond that, the Punjab Kings begin their campaign at home against the Gujarat Titans, while Lucknow Super Giants host Delhi Capitals in the final fixture of the opening round. The complete schedule beyond 12th April is still to be confirmed.
Here is the full IPL 2026 opening phase schedule:
| Match | Date | Home Team | Away Team | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 March | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | 29 March | Mumbai Indians | Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | 30 March | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 4 | 31 March | Punjab Kings | Gujarat Titans | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| 5 | 1 April | Lucknow Super Giants | Delhi Capitals | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| 6 | 2 April | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 7 | 3 April | Chennai Super Kings | Punjab Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 8 | 4 April | Delhi Capitals | Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 9 | 4 April | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | 5 April | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 11 | 5 April | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 12 | 6 April | Kolkata Knight Riders | Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | 7 April | Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai Indians | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 14 | 8 April | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 15 | 9 April | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 | 10 April | Rajasthan Royals | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 17 | 10 April | Punjab Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| 18 | 11 April | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi Capitals | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 19 | 11 April | Lucknow Super Giants | Gujarat Titans | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| 20 | 12 April | Mumbai Indians | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
