IPL 2026 schedule set for March 12 release as franchises begin pre-season camps
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the schedule covering the first 20 days of IPL 2026 will be released by March 12. The remaining fixtures will follow later, with the phased approach designed to avoid clashes with assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.
84 matches over two months
The 19th IPL season runs from March 28 to May 31, making it the longest edition yet. The tournament moves to an expanded 84-match format, closer to a full double round-robin where every team plays each other twice. The BCCI has also reintroduced satellite stadiums, meaning some franchises will split their home games across two cities. Rajasthan Royals, for example, will host matches in both Jaipur and Guwahati.
Bengaluru gets the bookends
The opening ceremony, Qualifier 1, and the final on May 31 will all be held in Bengaluru. The Eliminator and Qualifier 2 are expected to take place in Ahmedabad and Raipur, though the BCCI has not confirmed those venues officially.
Teams already in camp
Several squads have started pre-season preparations. Chennai Super Kings opened their training camp on March 1, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni both in attendance. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru held a camp in Navi Mumbai in February. Rajasthan Royals assemble in Jaipur from March 15, and Kolkata Knight Riders begin their camp on March 18.
The timing is tight for India's T20 World Cup winners. With the final played on March 8 and the IPL starting on March 28, players like Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya will have barely two weeks to rest, travel, and switch into franchise mode.
