The much-anticipated schedule for the Indian Premier League 2026 is set to be revealed soon, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) planning to release the first phase of fixtures by March 12. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that, for now, the governing body will announce the schedule covering the first 20 days of the tournament.
The 19th edition of the IPL is scheduled to run from March 28 to May 31. Initially, the tournament window was expected to begin on March 26 and conclude on May 30, but the dates were slightly adjusted to better accommodate logistical considerations. Speaking about the development, Saikia said the board will reveal the initial part of the schedule first while keeping flexibility for the remaining matches.
“We plan to announce the IPL 2026 schedule by March 12. For now, we are going to announce the IPL schedule for the first 20 days,” Saikia told IANS.
ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir Hails Suryakumar Yadav’s Leadership After India’s T20 World Cup Triumph
The remaining fixtures will be finalised later, primarily to avoid scheduling conflicts with upcoming assembly elections in several Indian states, including West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu. The BCCI is expected to carefully plan the second half of the season once the election dates are fully confirmed.
Meanwhile, franchises have already begun their preparations for the upcoming season. Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings kicked off their training camp on March 1 at their High-Performance Centre in Navalur. Key figures, including captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and veteran wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni, were present as the team started gearing up for another campaign.
Lights. Camera. IPL! 🎬🔥#TATAIPL 2026 schedule for the first 20 matches is here! Gear up for non-stop action, fierce clashes, and unforgettable moments!⚡
Which match are you most excited for? ✍️ pic.twitter.com/y5oOKGm95M
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 11, 2026
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their preparations earlier, conducting a short training camp at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on February 10. Meanwhile, the 2022 champions, the Gujarat Titans, have already completed two practice sessions at the Miraj International Cricket Stadium in Nathdwara.
Other franchises are also leaving no stone unturned in their preparations. Punjab Kings trained in Abu Dhabi during early February and are currently running a camp in Dharamsala. Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 2016 champions, started their camp on March 1 with their domestic players, while five-time winners Mumbai Indians have also begun their pre-season training.
ALSO READ: Ishan Kishan Climbs To No. 2 In ICC Rankings, Closing Gap On Abhishek Sharma
The inaugural IPL champions, the Rajasthan Royals, are expected to assemble for their training camp in Jaipur from March 15. Meanwhile, three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their preparations on March 18.
Elsewhere, the Delhi Capitals recently conducted a camp in Hyderabad and are likely to hold another session in New Delhi. Lucknow Super Giants have already completed a preparatory camp in Lucknow as teams intensify preparations ahead of the blockbuster T20 league.
- March 28: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Chinnaswamy Stadium ) – 3:30 PM
- March 29: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Wankhede Stadium ) – 7:30 PM
- March 30: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings (Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati) – 7:30 PM
- March 31: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans (Mullanpur) – 7:30 PM
- April 1: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals (Ekana) – 7:30 PM
- April 2: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Eden Gardens, Kolkata) – 7:30 PM
- April 3: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (Chennai) – 7:30 PM
- April 4: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians (Delhi) – 3:30 PM
- April 4: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals (Ahmedabad) – 7:30 PM
- April 5: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants (Hyderabad) – 3:30 PM
- April 5: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings (Bengaluru) – 7:30 PM
- April 6: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings (Kolkata) – 7:30 PM
- April 7: Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians (Guwahati) – 7:30 PM
- April 8: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans (Delhi) – 7:30 PM
- April 9: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants (Kolkata) – 7:30 PM
- April 10: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Guwahati) – 7:30 PM IST
- April 11: Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Mullanpur) – 3:30 PM IST
- April 11: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (Chennai) -7:30 PM IST
- April 12: Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans (Lucknow) – 3:30 PM
- April 12: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Mumbai) -7:30 PM
