It’s officially here! The IPL 2026 Schedule Announced by the BCCI on March 11. Cricket fans can now mark their dates for the biggest T20 league.
RCB vs SRH kicks off IPL 2026 on March 28 at Bengaluru. The defending champions host Sunrisers Hyderabad in this high-voltage opening match.
IPL 2026 Schedule: First Phase Details
The IPL 2026 Schedule covers the first 20 matches until April 12. BCCI released this partial schedule due to the upcoming state elections. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam will hold assembly elections soon.
The remaining IPL 2026 schedule will be announced after the election dates are confirmed. This phased approach prevents venue and security conflicts completely. Political events always take priority over sports scheduling obviously.
IPL 2026 starts March 28 instead of the original March 26 date. That’s just a two-day delay from initial plans. The contest runs until May 31 with 84 total matches!
RCB vs SRH Opening Match Highlights
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first-ever IPL title in 2025. Now they defend that trophy starting with the RCB vs SRH opening match. M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru hosts this Saturday evening match.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will be tough opponents right from ball one. The opening match promises fireworks between two hot teams! Fans can’t wait to watch defending champions begin their title defense.
However, Bengaluru matches still need the Karnataka Government’s Expert Committee clearance. A meeting and mock demonstration will happen on March 13. This assesses M. Chinnaswamy Stadium’s preparedness for hosting matches.
RCB will play two home games in Raipur alternatively. The IPL 2026 Schedule Announced includes these venue adjustments clearly.
| Match | Date | Day | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 28 | Sat | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Mar 29 | Sun | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai |
| 3 | Mar 30 | Mon | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Guwahati |
| 4 | Mar 31 | Tue | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Mullanpur |
| 5 | Apr 1 | Wed | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Lucknow |
| 6 | Apr 2 | Thu | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata |
| 7 | Apr 3 | Fri | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | Chennai |
| 8 | Apr 4 | Sat | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi |
| 9 | Apr 4 | Sat | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Apr 5 | Sun | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Hyderabad |
| 11 | Apr 5 | Sun | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru |
| 12 | Apr 6 | Mon | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Kolkata |
| 13 | Apr 7 | Tue | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Guwahati |
| 14 | Apr 8 | Wed | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Delhi |
| 15 | Apr 9 | Thu | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Kolkata |
| 16 | Apr 10 | Fri | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Guwahati |
| 17 | Apr 11 | Sat | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mullanpur |
| 18 | Apr 11 | Sat | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai |
| 19 | Apr 12 | Sun | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Lucknow |
| 20 | Apr 12 | Sun | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Mumbai |
Other Opening Week Matches
Mumbai Indians host Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 Sunday evening at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai!
Rajasthan Royals face Chennai Super Kings on Monday evening, March 30. Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati hosts this fascinating opening match instead of Jaipur. Sanju Samson faces his former team with CSK here!
Ravindra Jadeja plays with RR after the off-season trade. Sam Curran’s involvement in that swap makes this match extra spicy. The IPL 2026 Schedule features this storyline prominently early.
RR plays the first three home matches in Guwahati before shifting. Then, 4 more home games happen in Jaipur later. Punjab Kings split venues between Mullanpur and Dharamsala similarly.
The IPL 2026 Schedule brings non-stop cricket action from March 28 onward! Which opening clash excites you most?
