IPL 2026 will start on March 28, as confirmed by Star Sports, with the full schedule yet to be announced by the league.
The Indian Premier League(IPL) 2026 will start on March 28, according to broadcaster Star Sports. The announcement came before the T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the season as defending champions.
The IPL authorities have not released the complete match schedule yet. The tournament is expected to run until May 31 in its 19th season. Reports suggest the competition window could begin around March 26.
🚨 Announcement 🚨
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 8, 2026
Get ready! #TATAIPL2026 is all set to start from the 28th of MARCH! pic.twitter.com/RF4Ixvo1J5
A BCCI official explained the delay in confirming fixtures. Election schedules and vote counting in several states have affected planning. Security forces often handle polling duties during elections. That situation may create shortages at certain venues. The board now awaits official updates before finalising match dates and travel arrangements.
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Meanwhile, Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary Santosh Menon confirmed details about RCB’s venues for IPL 2026. M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host 5 home matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The venue will also stage the IPL 2026 final and 1 playoff game.
RCB will play their remaining 2 home matches at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
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