The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will reveal the schedule for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Monday, March 9, between 4 PM and 6 PM IST. The season is set to start on March 28, though the full fixtures may not be released immediately due to upcoming state elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam.

Impact on Tournament Planning

The IPL 2026 season has been confirmed to begin on March 28, a day later than the originally planned start date of March 26. This adjustment was made internally by the IPL authorities to accommodate logistical and security considerations. Star Sports has also confirmed the March 28 opening date.

The BCCI is expected to release the schedule in two phases. The initial announcement on March 9 will cover the first 15-20 days of the tournament, roughly up to mid-April. The remaining fixtures will be finalized and announced later, once the Election Commission declares the polling dates and phases in the affected states.

Key Teams and Venues Affected

Key teams impacted by the schedule change include the Chennai Super Kings (Chepauk, Chennai), Kolkata Knight Riders (Eden Gardens, Kolkata), and Rajasthan Royals (secondary home ground in Guwahati, Assam). The Rajasthan Royals’ matches in Guwahati may be affected by the election timeline, which could influence the scheduling of their home games.

The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), will host the tournament opener on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB is set to play five of their seven home matches at Chinnaswamy, with the remaining two in Raipur. The venue recently received clearance despite past concerns following a tragic stampede during victory celebrations last year, which claimed 11 lives.

Fixtures and Squad Details

While the full schedule will be announced in two phases, some details have already been shared. The squads for the IPL 2026 have been finalized, with teams such as RCB, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders fielding strong lineups.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad includes Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, and other notable players. The Chennai Super Kings squad features MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, among others.

The Mumbai Indians’ squad includes Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav, while the Kolkata Knight Riders have Rinku Singh, Ajinkya Rahane (C), and Manish Pandey. Rajasthan Royals’ squad includes Shubham Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jofra Archer.

The Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have also finalized their squads, with key players such as KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Pat Cummins included.

The Lucknow Super Giants have made several player trades, including the departure of Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, and Wanindu Hasaranga. The Sunrisers Hyderabad squad includes Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, and Ishan Kishan.

The Punjab Kings have also finalized their squad, with players such as Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh set to play a key role in the team’s campaign.

The BCCI’s decision to release the schedule in two phases is aimed at ensuring better coordination for security and logistics at venues in the affected states. This approach will allow the organizers to make necessary adjustments based on the election calendar and ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament.

With the IPL 2026 schedule set to be announced on March 9, fans and teams alike are eagerly awaiting the full fixtures and match details. The tournament is expected to be a major event in the cricketing calendar, drawing attention from fans across the globe.