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IPL 2026 starts March 28, ends May 31. Full schedule, 10 teams, venues, where to watch on TV & JioHotstar. RCB defend title. Your complete IPL 2026 guide.
The Indian Premier League 2026 is around the corner. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to retain the trophy when the 19th edition of the Tata IPL gets underway. Here’s everything you need to know: dates, teams, venues, and where to watch every match.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Start Date | March 28, 2026 |
| Final | May 31, 2026 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Total Matches | 84 (including playoffs) |
| Defending Champions | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) |
| Auction | December 16, 2025 (Abu Dhabi) |
IPL 2026 was originally planned to begin on March 26, but the BCCI pushed the start to March 28, 2026 due to assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. These states host key IPL venues—Kolkata (KKR), Chennai (CSK), and Guwahati (RR’s secondary home)—so the schedule was adjusted to avoid clashes with polling and security arrangements.
The final is set for May 31, 2026. The full match-by-match fixture list is expected once the Election Commission announces poll dates. The IPL Governing Council may release the schedule in phases if needed.
RCB, as defending champions, are likely to feature in the season opener, though the exact venue is still to be confirmed.
All 10 franchises will compete in IPL 2026:
Each team plays 14 matches in the league stage (or 18 if the format is expanded). The top four advance to the playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final.
The BCCI has shortlisted multiple stadiums across India for IPL 2026. Key venues include:
| Stadium | City | Capacity | Home Team(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | 132,000 | Gujarat Titans |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 68,000 | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 33,000 | Mumbai Indians |
| M.A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | 39,000 | Chennai Super Kings |
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | 40,000 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Rajiv Gandhi Stadium | Hyderabad | 55,000 | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | 41,000 | Delhi Capitals |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | 30,000 | Rajasthan Royals |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | 50,000 | Lucknow Super Giants |
| PCA Stadium | Mohali | 26,000 | Punjab Kings |
New Chandigarh is in the mix as a possible playoff venue. Some teams may use two home grounds depending on election schedules and logistics.
The IPL 2026 auction was held on December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. It was the first IPL auction to take place outside India. Franchises had a purse of ₹120 crore (increased from ₹90 crore) to build their squads, with a focus on all-rounders, left-arm pacers, and power-hitters.
For a detailed recap of the biggest signings and team-wise changes, check our IPL 2026 auction summary once it’s live on iplruns.in.
Star Sports Network holds the TV rights for IPL 2026. Matches will be shown on:
JioHotstar (post-merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar) is the official digital streaming partner. You can watch IPL 2026 live on:
Subscription: IPL 2026 streaming requires a paid plan. Options typically range from around ₹149 for mobile-only access to ₹1,499 for annual premium (including 4K and multi-device streaming). Check JioHotstar’s latest plans before the season.
For the latest IPL 2026 news, schedule updates, match results, and analysis, follow iplruns.in. We’ll keep this guide updated as the BCCI releases the full fixture list and any changes to venues or timings.
Sources: BCCI, IPL official website, ESPNcricinfo, Hindustan Times, Zee News, Wikipedia (2026 Indian Premier League), wpleague.in (broadcast details).
IPLRUNS.IN – IPL 2026 COMPLETE GUIDE
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