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The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28 with defending champions RCB facing SRH in Bengaluru. BCCI has released the schedule for the first 20 days, featuring 20 matches across 10 venues.
IPL 2026 to begin on March 28
New Delhi: The Indian Premier League 2026 season will start on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The schedule for the first 20 days of the tournament was announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday. According to the cricket board, the complete schedule will be released later after the dates for upcoming state assembly elections are finalised.
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During the initial phase, a total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues. These include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
IPL 2026 complete schedule
The opening weekend will feature several high-profile clashes, including Mumbai Indians hosting Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 and Rajasthan Royals facing Chennai Super Kings on March 30.
The early part of the tournament will include four double-header days. Afternoon matches will begin at 3:30 PM IST, while evening matches are scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST.
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The first double-header is scheduled for April 4, when Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad later in the evening.
Matches scheduled in Bengaluru are subject to clearance from a government-appointed expert committee in Karnataka. The committee is expected to inspect the stadium and conduct a mock drill of match-day arrangements on March 13.
Meanwhile, teams will split their home fixtures across multiple venues. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home games in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will host matches in New Chandigarh and Dharamsala, while Rajasthan Royals will play early home games in Guwahati before moving to Jaipur.
