The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed that the IPL 2026 final will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. This marks the fourth time in the last five seasons that Ahmedabad will host the grand finale, underlining its status as the premier venue for marquee IPL fixtures. Notably, the 2025 final was also played at the same venue.
The IPL 2026 playoff race is set to intensify as the league stage concludes on May 24, after which the top four teams will secure their spots in the knockout phase. The playoff schedule has been strategically divided across venues to ensure competitive balance and logistical efficiency.
Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the points table, will be played on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The winner of this clash will earn a direct entry into the final. The eliminator, scheduled for May 27 at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, will see the third and fourth-placed teams battle for survival.
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New Chandigarh will also host Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the eliminator to determine the second finalist.
🚨 News 🚨
BCCI Announces #TATAIPL 2026 Playoffs Schedule
Qualifier 1: Dharamshala
Eliminator and Qualifier 2: New Chandigarh
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad to Host Grand Finale 🏟️
More Details ▶️ https://t.co/32HvsabiuF#KhelBindaas pic.twitter.com/ItrNUNoxHZ
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 6, 2026
The IPL governing council also clarified the change in the final venue. “Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the board said in its release.
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This season’s schedule was released in three phases due to assembly elections across the country. The first set of fixtures was announced on March 11, followed by the remainder of the league matches on March 26, ensuring smooth planning amid external constraints.
