IPL announces first 20-match schedule featuring four double-headers; opening clash set at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pending final inspection by Karnataka government committee

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The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League will begin on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The stadium was recently cleared by the Karnataka government to host IPL matches after uncertainty following a tragic stampede last June during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations that resulted in the loss of 11 lives. However, matches at the venue are still subject to final approval from an expert committee formed by the state government. According to an IPL statement, the committee will hold a meeting and conduct an inspection of the stadium on March 13, 2026, including a full-scale mock demonstration of match-day arrangements to assess its readiness for hosting matches.

The second game of the opening weekend will see Mumbai Indians face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The opening weekend will not feature any double-headers. Due to upcoming state elections in regions including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam—where franchises such as Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have home venues—the IPL has released the tournament schedule in phases. The first phase includes 20 matches, with four double-headers scheduled over the weekends of April 4–5 and April 11–12. Each of the ten teams will play four matches during this phase of the tournament.

While the exact groupings of the teams have not yet been confirmed, IPL seasons with ten teams have typically followed a system where franchises are divided into two virtual groups. Teams face the other sides in their group twice and those in the opposite group once during the league stage. The 2026 opener will also mark the second time that Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad meet in the first match of an IPL season. They previously faced off in the 2017 opener when SRH were the defending champions and RCB the runners-up. For SRH, this will be only their second appearance in an IPL opening match, while RCB will be playing in their seventh season opener.

Some franchises will also use secondary venues this season. Rajasthan Royals will play three matches in Guwahati before hosting their remaining home fixtures at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will stage two matches in Raipur, while Punjab Kings are scheduled to host three games in Dharamsala. Since the IPL began in 2008, the schedule has been announced in multiple phases during election years, as seen in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024, when logistical considerations required adjustments to the tournament calendar.