The Indian Premier League 2026 is the 19th edition of the world's premier T20 franchise cricket league. Running from March 28 to May 31, 2026, the tournament features 84 matches across 13 venues, involving all 10 franchises. This is your definitive guide to the complete IPL 2026 schedule, including key matchdays, double headers, playoff dates, and broadcast timings.
The league stage consists of 70 matches played over approximately seven weeks. Each of the 10 teams plays 14 league-stage matches: seven at home and seven away. The schedule is structured to ensure every team faces every other team at least once, with certain high-profile rivalries (MI vs CSK, RCB vs KKR) scheduled for prime-time weekend slots.
The BCCI has continued the tradition of home-and-away allocation from recent seasons, ensuring fans across all host cities get to see their franchise play at their home ground a minimum of seven times during the league phase.
The tournament kicks off on Saturday, March 28 with the defending champions RCB hosting their first match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The opening weekend features four matches across Saturday and Sunday, setting the tone for the campaign.
By the end of the first week, all 10 teams will have played at least one match. The BCCI has ensured no team plays back-to-back matches during opening week to allow for travel and acclimatisation.
IPL 2026 features 15 double-header days throughout the league stage, primarily scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays. Double headers consist of an afternoon match at 3:30 PM IST and an evening match at 7:30 PM IST. These days are a cricket fan's dream, offering nearly eight hours of continuous T20 action.
Key double-header dates include:
Midweek double headers are also scheduled on select Wednesdays during the tournament's intensive middle phase (April 15 - May 5), ensuring the league stage completes on schedule before the playoffs.
The 13 venues hosting IPL 2026 matches span the length and breadth of India. Teams are given a minimum 48-hour gap between consecutive matches, and the schedule ensures no team has to travel across the country (e.g., Kolkata to Jaipur) for back-to-back away fixtures without adequate rest.
Key venues and approximate match allocations:
A brief three-day mid-season window (April 22-24) allows teams to regroup, manage player workloads, and finalise Impact Player strategies for the second half. During this window, teams can also make changes to their squad by bringing in players from the replacement pool, subject to BCCI approval.
The knockout stage of IPL 2026 features four matches over 12 days:
The Final is held at the world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, with a capacity of over 132,000. It is the showpiece event of the Indian cricketing calendar and attracts a global TV audience of over 500 million viewers.
All 84 matches will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network across India and streamed on JioCinema. International broadcasting partners cover over 120 countries. Evening matches begin at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT / 10:00 AM ET), while afternoon double-header matches begin at 3:30 PM IST (10:00 AM GMT / 6:00 AM ET).
For fans who cannot watch live, SportGodAI's live dashboard provides ball-by-ball updates, real-time win probability, and AI-generated match summaries that you can follow from anywhere.
While every IPL match has value, certain fixtures carry extra weight for rivalry, playoff implications, and viewing spectacle:
Never miss a fixture. Our IPL calendar syncs with your timezone and sends match-day reminders. During live matches, the AI predictions engine updates win probability every delivery, while the points table refreshes after every result. Whether you are following one team or the entire tournament, SportGodAI keeps you ahead of the game.
Try Sport God AI live
Live scores, AI predictions, and fantasy — free during IPL 2026.