IPL 2026: BCCI unveils schedule for first phase; RCB vs SRH opener

The BCCI has announced the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026, from March 28 to April 12. It includes 20 matches, with defending champions RCB hosting SRH in the opening game. The full schedule is pending state election date announcements.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the schedule for the first phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, to be played from March 28 to April 12, 2026, according to a BCCI release.As three states are scheduled to undergo State Assembly elections during this period, the full schedule of the tournament will be announced once the poll dates are announced.

IPL 2026 Kicks Off March 28

The 19th edition of the biggest T20 league on the globe will commence when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.During this period, the tournament will feature four double-headers, with the afternoon matches beginning at 03:30 PM IST and the evening matches commencing at 07:30 PM IST.Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.The first double-header of the season will take place on April 4, 2026, when Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Initial Home Venues for Teams

Rajasthan Royals will begin their home campaign in Guwahati, where they will host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.Punjab Kings (PBKS), meanwhile, will play their early home fixtures at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.The detailed schedule for the opening phase of the TATA IPL 2026: (Photos: X/@IPL)During the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur.Punjab Kings will play four home matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will play three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur.

Bengaluru Venue Subject to Clearance

Note: The matches scheduled in Bengaluru are subject to clearance from the Expert Committee constituted by the Government of Karnataka.The committee will conduct a meeting and inspection of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 13, 2026, during which a full-scale mock demonstration of match-day arrangements will be carried out to assess the stadium's preparedness for hosting IPL matches.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)