The 19th edition of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) is underway with high excitement across the country. The tournament, featuring 10 teams and a total of 74 matches, runs from 28 March to 31 May 2026 across 13 venues in India.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the defending champions, kicked off the season with a thrilling win against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 28 March at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Key Highlights of IPL 2026

• Total Matches: 70 league stage + Playoffs (Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, Final)
• Teams: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Titans (GT), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Mumbai Indians (MI), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
• Format: Double round-robin with some adjustments for balanced competition
• Playoffs & Final: Schedule to be confirmed later; Final on 31 May 2026

Most matches start at 7:30 PM IST, with select afternoon games at 3:30 PM IST.

IPL 2026 League Stage Schedule (Early Matches – As of 31 March 2026)

Here are the confirmed fixtures from the start of the season:

March 2026

• 28 March (Sat) – Match 1: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM (RCB won by 6 wickets)
• 29 March (Sun) – Match 2: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
• 30 March (Mon) – Match 3: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, 7:30 PM
• 31 March (Tue) – Match 4: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh (Mullanpur), 7:30 PM

April 2026 (Early Fixtures)

• 1 April (Wed) – Match 5: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
• 2 April (Thu) – Match 6: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
• 3 April (Fri) – Match 7: Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 7:30 PM
• 4 April (Sat) – Match 8: Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, 3:30 PM / 7:30 PM (double header)
• 5 April (Sun) – Match 9 & 10: Double header matches (venues include Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, etc.)
• And so on…

The full 70-match league schedule continues till 24 May 2026, with matches spread across major venues like:

• Bengaluru (M. Chinnaswamy)
• Mumbai (Wankhede)
• Kolkata (Eden Gardens)
• Chennai (Chepauk)
• Delhi (Arun Jaitley)
• Ahmedabad (Narendra Modi Stadium)
• Lucknow (Ekana)
• Jaipur (Sawai Mansingh)
• Hyderabad (Rajiv Gandhi)
• Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Raipur, and others.

Note: The complete detailed schedule (including all 70 league matches) is available on the official IPL website (iplt20.com). BCCI may make minor changes if required.

Playoffs & Final (Tentative Dates)

• Qualifier 1 & Eliminator: Around 26–28 May 2026
• Qualifier 2: 29–30 May 2026
• Final: 31 May 2026 (venue to be announced)

Where to Watch IPL 2026

• TV: Star Sports Network
• Digital Streaming: JioCinema (free)
• Official App/Website: IPLT20.com for live scores, stats, and updates

IPL 2026 promises massive entertainment with star players, intense rivalries, and packed stadiums. As the tournament progresses, BharatTone will bring you daily match previews, player performances, points table updates, and expert analysis.

Stay tuned for regular updates on bharattone – your go-to source for all things cricket and Indian sports!