The wait for the complete IPL 2026 schedule may finally be nearing its end. With the season set to begin on March 28, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has indicated that the remaining fixtures will be announced shortly.
Only the first phase of the tournament, comprising 20 games, has been released so far, leaving teams and fans awaiting clarity on the bulk of the season. Now, the BCCI has offered a clear timeline. As Insidesport mentioned earlier, the IPL 2026 will have 74 games and not 84 that were mentioned in the broadcast deal previously.
Full IPL 2026 schedule to be announced soon
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board will release the remaining fixtures in the coming days. “We will announce the remaining IPL 2026 schedule in a few days’ time,” Saikia told Times of India.
So far, the BCCI has announced only the first 20 matches, scheduled between March 28 and April 12. The remaining 54 matches are expected to be revealed later this week. The BCCI can announce it on the opening day when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28.
The delay has largely been due to the assembly elections in states like West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu, all of which are set to host IPL matches. With the Election Commission now announcing poll dates, the board has been able to move forward with finalising the schedule. IPL 2026 will continue to follow the existing format, with 74 matches across a 65-day window. The much-discussed expansion to 84 matches has not materialised this season and is now expected only in the next cycle after 2027.
Captains briefed, key rules remain unchanged
While the schedule remains pending, preparations for the season are already in full swing. All ten captains met at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, where they were briefed on tournament regulations by match referee head Javagal Srinath and umpires’ panel chief Nitin Menon.
The board has decided to retain all existing playing conditions. These include the Impact Player rule, the two-bouncer provision, the 60-second innings timer, concussion substitutes, and regulations around bat checks and ball changes.
There was also discussion around the Impact Player rule, with several captains expressing reservations. However, the BCCI has made it clear that the rule will continue at least until the 2027 season.
The provision allowing a ball change after the 10th over of the second innings in evening matches, introduced last year to counter dew, will also remain in place.
IPL 2026 Schedule Phase 1
| Match | Date | Day | Home | Away | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28/03/26 | Sat | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru | 19:30 |
| 2 | 29/03/26 | Sun | Mumbai Indians | Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai | 19:30 |
| 3 | 30/03/26 | Mon | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Guwahati | 19:30 |
| 4 | 31/03/26 | Tue | Punjab Kings | Gujarat Titans | Mullanpur | 19:30 |
| 5 | 01/04/26 | Wed | Lucknow Super Giants | Delhi Capitals | Lucknow | 19:30 |
| 6 | 02/04/26 | Thu | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata | 19:30 |
| 7 | 03/04/26 | Fri | Chennai Super Kings | Punjab Kings | Chennai | 19:30 |
| 8 | 04/04/26 | Sat | Delhi Capitals | Mumbai Indians | Delhi | 15:30 |
| 9 | 04/04/26 | Sat | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad | 19:30 |
| 10 | 05/04/26 | Sun | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants | Hyderabad | 15:30 |
| 11 | 05/04/26 | Sun | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru | 19:30 |
| 12 | 06/04/26 | Mon | Kolkata Knight Riders | Punjab Kings | Kolkata | 19:30 |
| 13 | 07/04/26 | Tue | Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai Indians | Guwahati | 19:30 |
| 14 | 08/04/26 | Wed | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Delhi | 19:30 |
| 15 | 09/04/26 | Thu | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lucknow Super Giants | Kolkata | 19:30 |
| 16 | 10/04/26 | Fri | Rajasthan Royals | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Guwahati | 19:30 |
| 17 | 11/04/26 | Sat | Punjab Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mullanpur | 15:30 |
| 18 | 11/04/26 | Sat | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi Capitals | Chennai | 19:30 |
| 19 | 12/04/26 | Sun | Lucknow Super Giants | Gujarat Titans | Lucknow | 15:30 |
| 20 | 12/04/26 | Sun | Mumbai Indians | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Mumbai | 19:30 |
Earlier, reports claimed that the BCCI will announce the schedule for IPL 2026 in two phases. The delay over the unveiling of the fixtures was largely due to some unresolved issues between franchises and venues (RCB with Chinnaswamy stadium and RR with Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur), and the state elections that are scheduled across five areas of the country.
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