BCCI releases IPL 2026 Phase 1 schedule with RCB hosting SRH in March 28 opener
Twenty matches confirmed across 10 venues
The first phase covers 20 matches from March 28 to April 12, spread across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, and Mullanpur. The BCCI has held back the rest of the schedule because of upcoming state Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, and will release the full fixture list once polling dates are finalised.
There is one uncertainty hanging over the opening fixture. RCB's home games in Bengaluru still need clearance from an expert committee appointed by the Karnataka government. That inspection is scheduled for March 13.
Opening week fixtures
After the RCB-SRH opener on March 28, Mumbai Indians host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. Rajasthan Royals take on Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30, followed by Punjab Kings against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on March 31.
Lucknow Super Giants welcome Delhi Capitals on April 1. The first double-header arrives on April 4, when Delhi face Mumbai in the afternoon and Gujarat host Rajasthan in the evening at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Four double-headers are scheduled across the first phase, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening games at 7:30 PM IST.
Samson's CSK debut a key subplot
One of the most anticipated fixtures of the opening fortnight comes on March 30. Sanju Samson, fresh off his Player of the Tournament performance at the T20 World Cup, turns out for Chennai Super Kings against his former side Rajasthan Royals. Samson moved to CSK in November in a blockbuster trade that sent Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan.
Samson captained the Royals from 2021 to 2025, so the reception in Guwahati will be intriguing even if it is a neutral venue. For CSK, adding a T20 World Cup hero to a squad already built around MS Dhoni's legacy gives them genuine title credentials heading into the new campaign.
