BCCI dropped the IPL match schedule 2026 that everyone’s been desperately waiting for. The 19th season kicks off on March 28 with defending champions RCB. But here’s the situation – only 20 games got announced initially.
State assembly elections are forcing the BCCI to release the time table in phases. Complete fixtures come later after the election dates are finalized. That partial Match Schedule covers games from March 28 through April 12.
Tournament Format and Match Details
IPL 2026 features 84 total contests instead of last year’s 74. That’s ten additional games meaning more cricket for fans. The tournament runs from March 28 straight through May 31.
| Date | Match | Time | Venue | Ticket Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 28 (Saturday) | RCB vs SRH | 7:30 PM | Bengaluru* | TBD |
| March 29 (Sunday) | MI vs KKR | 7:30 PM | Mumbai | BookMyShow |
| March 30 (Monday) | RR vs CSK | 7:30 PM | Guwahati | District by Zomato |
| March 31 (Tuesday) | PBKS vs GT | 7:30 PM | Mullanpur | District by Zomato |
| April 1 (Wednesday) | LSG vs DC | 7:30 PM | Lucknow | BookMyShow |
| April 2 (Thursday) | KKR vs SRH | 7:30 PM | Kolkata | BookMyShow |
| April 3 (Friday) | CSK vs PBKS | 7:30 PM | Chennai | TBD |
| April 4 (Saturday) | DC vs MI | 3:30 PM | Delhi | District by Zomato |
| April 4 (Saturday) | GT vs RR | 7:30 PM | Ahmedabad | BookMyShow |
| April 5 (Sunday) | SRH vs LSG | 3:30 PM | Hyderabad | District by Zomato |
| April 5 (Sunday) | RCB vs CSK | 7:30 PM | Bengaluru | TBD |
| April 6 (Monday) | KKR vs PBKS | 7:30 PM | Kolkata | BookMyShow |
| April 7 (Tuesday) | RR vs MI | 7:30 PM | Guwahati | District by Zomato |
| April 8 (Wednesday) | DC vs GT | 7:30 PM | Delhi | District by Zomato |
| April 9 (Thursday) | KKR vs LSG | 7:30 PM | Kolkata | BookMyShow |
| April 10 (Friday) | RR vs RCB | 7:30 PM | Guwahati | District by Zomato |
| April 11 (Saturday) | PBKS vs SRH | 3:30 PM | Mullanpur | District by Zomato |
| April 11 (Saturday) | CSK vs DC | 7:30 PM | Chennai | TBD |
| April 12 (Sunday) | LSG vs GT | 3:30 PM | Lucknow | BookMyShow |
| April 12 (Sunday) | MI vs RCB | 7:30 PM | Mumbai | BookMyShow |
BCCI introduced a new double round-robin format this year. All ten teams face each other twice throughout the season. Previously, teams got split into virtual groups with complicated scheduling.
The fixture shows RCB hosting SRH on March 28. That opener happens at 7:30 PM IST at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Defending champions start their title defense at home.
The Mumbai Indians face the Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 next. Ten different venues across India will host events during 2026. Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Mullanpur get games.
Blockbuster Trade Creating Must-Watch Battles
Ravindra Jadeja moving from CSK to RR creates incredible storylines. Now Jadeja faces his former team wearing different colors.
Sanju Samson went the opposite direction joining CSK from the Rajasthan Royals. He won the Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup 2026. That swap makes RR vs CSK on March 30 unmissable. Both players face their old franchises in emotional reunions.
The Schedule places this blockbuster contest early generating massive anticipation. Fans want to see how Jadeja and Samson perform against former teammates. March 30 becomes the time table’s most anticipated early fixture.
Ticket Sales and Stadium Capacity
Ticket sales have already opened through BookMyShow and District by Zomato. Prices vary dramatically across different teams and venues. Gujarat Titans tickets range from ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 in Ahmedabad.
Kolkata Knight Riders charge ₹1,200 to ₹8,500 for home games. Lucknow Super Giants have the highest range at ₹1,000 to ₹40,000. Rajasthan Royals cost ₹2,700 to ₹4,200 in Guwahati.
Several franchises haven’t announced ticket prices yet including CSK and MI. Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, RCB, and SRH prices come closer to dates. Book early through official platforms avoiding scams completely.
High fan demand means stadiums will sell out quickly. Full capacity crowds are anticipated nationwide for 2026. The Match Schedule creates exciting battles that fans desperately want to attend.
The top four teams from the league stage advance to the playoffs. Qualifier 1 features first versus second-place teams. Third and fourth play the Eliminator for survival chances.
