New Delhi: The first phase schedule of the Indian Premier League 2026 season has been officially announced, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match on March 28. The contest will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The 19th edition of the world’s most popular T20 cricket league will begin with the champions starting their title defence at home. A total of 20 matches will be played during the first phase of the tournament across 10 venues including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
The competition will feature four double header days. Afternoon matches will begin at 3:30 pm IST, while evening fixtures will start at 7:30 pm IST.
Following the opening clash, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.
Several teams will use multiple venues for their home fixtures this season. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are scheduled to play five home matches in Bengaluru and two games in Raipur. Punjab Kings will host four matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will stage three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur.
Among other early fixtures, Rajasthan Royals will meet Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30, while Punjab Kings will face Gujarat Titans on March 31 at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
The organisers also noted that matches scheduled in Bengaluru remain subject to clearance from a state appointed expert committee, which is expected to conduct a stadium inspection and review match day arrangements on March 13.
The complete IPL 2026 schedule will be released in two phases due to upcoming assembly elections in several states including Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The tournament is set to conclude with the final scheduled for May 31.
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