The road to the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is officially set. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026, confirming a blockbuster opening fixture between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. The tournament is slated to run from March 28 to May 31, featuring a total of 84 league matches.
While the full list of league fixtures is finalized, the BCCI has released the specific schedule for the first 20 matches (March 28 – April 12), with the remaining dates to be confirmed pending election schedules in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
While the BCCI has not officially opened the general box office, several platforms have begun early operations:
BookMyShow: Has opened pre-sale registrations specifically for Gujarat Titans (Ahmedabad) and Mumbai Indians (Mumbai). Fans registering for MI may gain access to the "Blue Member" franchise program.
Zomato District: A dedicated "Coming Soon" window has appeared on the app, signaling it will be a primary ticketing partner for the 2026 season.
Expected Launch: General ticket sales are expected to commence shortly after the March 13 stadium inspection in Bengaluru.
While Bengaluru is set to host the opening ceremony and match, the venue is currently under intense scrutiny. Following a tragic stampede at the stadium last season, the Government of Karnataka has constituted an Expert Committee to assess venue preparedness.
The matches scheduled in Bengaluru are subject to clearance... 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.
IPL Official Release
If cleared, RCB will play five home games in Bengaluru and two in their secondary home of Raipur.
Format: 10 teams, 84 league matches, plus playoffs.
Double headers: The first double-header of the season occurs on April 4, featuring Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians (3:30 PM) followed by Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals (7:30 PM).
Defending champions: RCB enters the season looking to become only the second team in history to successfully defend their maiden title.
